Code Geass:Colorless Memories
by NSBleach00
Summary: Rai, a boy who has forgotten everything about his past, gets found by Milly and is taken to Ashford Academy. From there, he sets on a quest to learn the truth about his past while unintentionally getting involved in the ongoing battle between Britannia and the Black Knights. A journey out to look for the answers.
1. Chapter 1

Hello, this is my first Code Geass Fanfic. I do not own Code Geass or its character and I also don't own the character Rai from Code Geass Lost Colors. All these characters belong to Sunrise.

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 1: The Arrival at Ashford

_"Run…and live."_ A voice cried out.

I heard a voice whispering those words repeatedly in my mind as I ran down the sidewalk. I didn't know why I was running, where I was going, or what I was running from to begin with. The voice told me to run, so I just decided to do what the voice told me to do and ran. But after sprinting down the sidewalks for what seemed like a long time, my body started to twitch in pain and I started to breathe heavily. After scurrying around a bit longer my body finally gave up on me. My vision got blurry on me and I fell unconscious on the sidewalk next to the entrance of a school.

(Outside Rai's POV)

At that exact same time Milly and Lelouch, both of them wearing their school uniforms, were talking to each other as they approached the school gates to close down the school campus grounds.

"Sorry I'm late today, I suddenly had some pressing business with my grandfather. But since you always skip out on your classes, this makes us even, don't you think so?" Milly called out.

Lelouch sharply responds to her taunt.

"So that makes it unavoidable huh? How many times have I told you that…" Before he could finish his sentence though Milly let out a loud gasp.

"Oh my gosh…What happened here?!"

"What is it…What happened?!" Lelouch quickly said as he was confused about why the girl was getting so worked up about.

He saw Milly walk out of the school entrance and onto the sidewalk where a silver haired boy was lying face down on the sidewalk. The girl tugged on his shoulders trying to wake him up but the silver haired boy simply laid there with his eyes closed. Lelouch then arrived at the scene.

"Did he faint? His clothes…they're not a school uniform. What should we do Milly?

"Hmm…I wonder who this guy could be. Well, in any case, we can't just leave him lying here. We better bring him to the infirmary." Milly said as she and Lelouch grabbed a hold of the silver haired kid.

"Move out of the way people, we have an unconscious man here. Guts!" The girl yelled out even though there was no one else there beside her and Lelouch.

"Yeah, yeah, I get it. Man, you are quite the slave driver." Lelouch said with an expression on his face that showed he wasn't very enthusiastic about bringing a stranger into the school.

(Back to Rai's POV)

When my consciousness finally returned I noticed that I was lying on a bed in a room that looked like a school infirmary. I wondered how long it has been since I passed out. I then noticed that there was a girl wearing a school uniform that I didn't recognize sitting on a chair nearby reading a magazine. She didn't seem to notice that I was awake yet. Hmm, I wonder, did she see me lying on the sidewalk and decided to help me out? I guess I should let her know I have awakened. I then started to speak out.

"Where am I?"

The girl then finally noticed that I was awake.

"Ah, so you're finally awake I see? Everyone, come in here, he is awake now!"

After the girl shouted, several other students wearing school uniforms came in. One of them, a guy with black hair who was a tad bit taller than me, stepped forward and began to speak.

"Your face says I don't know where I am. Well, we're the ones who are going to be asking the questions here."

The blond haired female student then raised her arm in front of the black haired boy.

"Stop antagonizing him Lelouch. You'll scare him if you keep talking like that." The blonde girl said to the guy who was apparently called Lelouch. The boy simply shrugged it off with a simple 'Hmph' as he continued to give me the evil eye. The girl then started to speak again.

"It's alright, you have nothing to worry about. You can safely ignore him. He's not that scary at all really."

"_I wonder about that."_ I silently thought to myself.

"Oh, I almost forgot. My name is Milly Ashford. I'm the president of Ashford Academy's student council. I'm also the one who helped you out."

"Ashford…Academy…"

"Yes, that's right. Anyways…After you fainted in front of the school gates, we carried you over to the infirmary. You've been sleeping for several hours. You really had me worried there.

"You…were worried about me?"

The thought that someone was worried about me made me felt more at ease.

"Well of course. We had a nurse examine you while you were passed out to make sure you were alright, but there didn't seem to be anything wrong. In any case, it's hard not knowing what to call you, so could you tell us your name please. I really want to know."

"My…name?"

That's right, what is my name? I close my eyes trying to remember what my name was. After a few seconds of thinking, the letters of my name finally started to resurface in my mind, at least my first name anyways. My last name seemed to be wiped clean from my memories. For right now though, I just hope that my first name will be enough for them.

"My name is Rai."

"Rai, is it? What an interesting name."

"So, who exactly are you…ergh!" Lelouch started to speak again but got elbowed by Milly.

"Let's introduce ourselves first before asking questions." She then turned towards everyone else in the room and shouted out.

"Come on everyone, let's introduce ourselves!"

Milly then turned back towards Lelouch and pointed her finger at him.

"We'll start with you first since you're the one causing all the discomfort here."

He sighed and then looked forward to introduce himself properly.

"Lelouch Lamperouge."

The guy standing right next to him, who had blue hair, then introduced himself.

I'm Rivalz…Rivalz Cardemonde."

Following him was an orange haired girl who brought a cheerful mood similar to Milly spoke next.

"My name is Shirley Fenette. It's nice to meet you!"

After her a Japanese looking brown haired fellow began to introduce himself.

"The name is Kururugi Suzaku. It's a pleasure meeting you."

Before everyone else got to introduce themselves, Lelouch started to speak up again.

"So Rai, who exactly are you and where are you from?"

After a moment of silence I simply said…

"I don't know."

It was the truth. It wasn't until that moment that I realized I didn't know who I was, where I came from, or what I was even doing here. My name and the knowledge necessary to survive was the only information I had about me. When I try to remember anything else, my mind blacks out. It's as if all the memories I had about myself was placed inside a box and then stored into a safe which was then locked up and guarded by an unknown force, keeping me away from accessing them. However, I do remember one other thing. It was a special power that only I had. It's called Geass, and with it, I could command anyone to obey me with only the sound of my voice, including these people. A powerful ability indeed, but it had its own limitations and flaws. But no matter what, I can't tell anyone about this power. My inner thoughts were then disrupted when Suzaku began speaking.

"You said you don't know huh…Could you have lost your memory?"

"That's what it sounds like to me." This was said by Rivalz.

"Hmm, could he have amnesia? That can't be good…" Milly said in a sad tone.

"If that's the case then we should hand him over to the police. They'll be able to protect him and help with any problems he might have. Besides, there's not much we can do to help him anyways." This was suggested by Lelouch.

Milly however, had something else in mind.

"Well then, until your memory returns, would you like to stay here at Ashford Academy?"

"Huh?" Lelouch and I both said at the same time. Lelouch then went on to say…

"Madam President, what are you saying?"

"Ohh…That sounds like a great idea!" Rivalz said in an excited manner.

"You idiot, don't just agree immediately without giving it much thought!" Lelouch snapped out.

"Oh don't worry, I've already got everything prepared! I figured something like this might happen, so I went ahead and got permission from my grandfather to let him stay if he wanted to."

"Madam President…Just like everything else, this is all just for your own amusement!" Lelouch then placed his hand over his head and sighed.

"Sometimes I just don't know what to do with you." Lelouch said as if he was defeated.

He was right though. It is too dangerous for them to get involved with my problems. But I didn't feel like going to the police for help either. For some reason, something was telling me that I couldn't trust the police and that they wouldn't be able to help me anyways. So…what was I going to do? Milly then started to speak up again.

"It might be dangerous, but everything will be okay! My intuition says so. Ever since I saw you, I felt that I shouldn't leave you alone, as if fate has brought you here. So until your memory returns, I'll take care of any trouble that comes your way!" Milly confidently said.

Lelouch then chuckled to himself and in a brighter mood said…

"Apparently there's no helping it…the student council members are always helpless when it comes to her own crazy ideas, and then we always have to clean up after her mess."

It was settled then. Nothing that the other student council members or I could say was going to change Milly's mind. Whatever this woman says goes. I had a feeling of helplessness and defeat inside myself. It seemed that even my Geass of Absolute Obedience was powerless against what this girl says.

"Well, then it's decided. To stay here you'll have to register with the school and find an appropriate place to stay. You will also need a sponsor. I'll take up that position for you. Now, let's introduce everyone else. The one with glasses is Nina Einstein. The quiet one there is Kallen Stadtfeld."

"Hello…" Nina said in a quiet tone.

"Nice to meet you." Kallen said in a soft tone.

"And last but not least the pretty girl sitting in the wheelchair over there is Nunnally."

"It's a pleasure to meet you Rai." Nunnally said in a polite manner with her closed eyelids.

Milly then walked over to where I was sitting and put her hand on my shoulder and whispered…

"By the way, she is Lelouch's little sister. If you touch her in any strange way, Lelouch will _not _like that."

"I'll make sure to remember that."

"Good, in that case there's just one thing left to take care of. Since you are now a student at this school, the rule states that all students at Ashford Academy are required to be in at least 1 club or extracurricular activity. Since I decided to be your sponsor and to make things easier for you, I'll let you join the student council, which I am also in charge of. Is that okay with you?"

"Uh…yeah, I'm okay with that…I guess."

Lelouch then smirked and said…

"You think you are okay with that now, but expect a lot of paper work coming your way and you better be prepared to spend a lot of time hanging out with the council President."

Rivalz then got excited about a new member joining and said…

"Oh, wow! That's the third newest member of the student council this month. First Kallen, then Suzaku, and now we have Rai!"

"Well, now that we got that problem out of the way, I think it is time for all of us to head for bed. You can stay here in the infirmary for tonight Rai. I'll have a place for you stay in by tomorrow. Are you okay with that?"

"Uh…yeah…"

"Good, and while we are on the subject, I'll show you around the school tomorrow so you won't feel lost while you are staying here. And remember, if you ever need any help; don't hesitate to ask one of the student council members for advice. We will take care of any problem that comes your way."

"…Thanks."

"Good night and I hope you'll remember something in the morning."

"Yeah, me too."

Milly and the other student council members then left the infirmary room, leaving me all to myself. I lay back down and started thinking to myself. Well this is some kind of situation I got myself into. I wonder how the me who had all his memories would feel about all this. Would he be happy to attend a school like this and meet all those people on the student council? Oh well, there's nothing I can do about it now. Until my memory returns, I'm stuck playing school boy, which might have its own benefits. I wonder…what tomorrow will bring.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	2. Chapter 2

Code Geass Colorless Memories

Stage 2: Rai, the New Transfer Student

The next day…

I woke up the next morning feeling much better than I did the day before. I guess last night's resting did a lot of good for me. Yesterday my body felt weak and tired out, but now I feel great. I got off the infirmary bed and started to stretch my body out. A few seconds later Milly came walking through the infirmary door carrying a uniform in her arms.

"Ah, good morning Rai, I see you have woken up."

"Oh, good morning Milly."

"So, do you remember anything yet?"

"…No, everything is still not clear to me yet…sorry."

"Ah no, it's okay; it's just going to take a while for you to recover from your amnesia I guess. Anyways, put this school uniform on. I had you measured when you were sleeping."

I was about to put the school uniform on when I suddenly thought of something.

"Wait a minute. How could you measure me while I was sleeping?"

"Well let's just say I have my way of figuring things out." Milly said that as she started to laugh mischievously.

Oh great, I don't even want to know what else she might have done to me while I was sleeping. As I was putting my school uniform on Milly continued to speak.

"Since you're slender like Lelouch, it should fit you perfectly. Once you're ready, I'll show you where to go to attend your classes."

"Classes…?"

"That's right; the student council members all decided that the best way for you to recover your memories is to attend class. Receiving education might trigger something in your head. But you will just be a temporary student for now."

"I see…"

"Also, it was Lelouch who suggested the idea."

"Lelouch…?" I then thought back to yesterday and remembered how Lelouch acted towards me. Milly then interrupted my thoughts.

"I know Lelouch can act pretty harsh sometimes, but he really is a nice person once you are around the guy for a while. Lelouch is just overprotective of the things he cares about, especially his younger sister Nunnally, that's all. He might be cautious towards you right now, but after a while I bet he will come around and the two of you will be great friends."

I wasn't so sure about that.

"Well come on, we have to get to our classes, and once classes are finished for the day I'll show you all the different places that are on campus."

Try everything out, huh? I guess I could try to do different things if it will lead to my memories. Milly then guided me to school and walked with me down the hallway. She then stopped in front of a classroom and turned towards me.

"For now you'll attend the same classes as the other student council members so you will at least be with someone you met yesterday. Also, I registered your name as Rai Thurston in the school computer, an alias since we don't know your real last name.

"Thurston…" The name sounded familiar to me somehow, but I didn't know why.

"Well, I guess I'll be heading to my classes now. When classes are over, I'll show you the rest of the school campus. See you later."

"Yeah…Later…"

Milly then went off to attend her classes as I went to mine. As soon as I entered the classroom, all the students turned, looked at me, and started to whispering to each other. They were most likely talking about me. The teacher then told me to come forward.

"Are you the new temporary student?"

"Um…yes sir…"

"Then please come up here to the front and introduce yourself to everyone then."

I then walked up to front on the classroom and introduced myself, remembering to use my fake last name in the process.

"Hello, my name is Rai Thurston. I'm only a transfer student, but I look forward to studying with you all."

"Okay, go take a seat now."

I then scanned around the room looking for an open seat. Most of the seats up front were already taken, so I started to look in the back rows until Shirley called out.

"Rai, there's plenty of open seats back here. You can sit next to me."

"Oh, okay then."

I then walked to the back and sat in the chair to the right of Shirley's seat. Once I sat down, Suzaku, who was sitting in the row right in front of us, turned himself around to speak to us.

"Hi Rai…So you're going to be taking the same classes as the rest of us?"

"Yeah, Milly thought it would be best if I took the same classes that all of you guys were in."

"You said your name was Rai Thurston right. So does that mean you got some of your memories back?"

"No, I still don't remember anything. Milly just made up a last name for me."

"You mean like an alias?" Shirley said as she joined in on the conversation.

"Exactly."

"Well, I'm sure you will regain your memories in due time."

"Hey, you three in the back, quiet down, we are just about to start a new lesson." The teacher yelled to us from across the room.

"Y-Yes sir, we're sorry."All three of us said at the same time.

I sat and paid attention to all the lessons in each one of my classes today. After listening to all the lectures, I realized that I understood all the information in each of my subjects, almost as if I already learned it before. Does that means I used to be someone who took their studying seriously, or was I some type of super genius. For right now, I just didn't know. Once my final class was finished, I got up and was ready to go out the door when I saw Milly standing there waiting for me.

"So, are you ready to see everything Ashford Academy has?"

"Sure…"

"Then what are we waiting for? Let's go!"

Milly then grabbed my hand and took me to all sorts of locations the campus had to offer. We first went to the cafeteria to get something to eat. Everything served there was Britannian style food, but I had no problem eating there. After we finished eating, Milly took me all over campus. Ashford Academy had all sorts of places including a swimming pool, an auditorium, and even a chapel. The last place we stopped at was the student council clubhouse.

"This is our clubhouse. We have all of our student council meetings here. We also hold several different types of school events here. This will also be the place where you will be staying on your time here at Ashford."

"Huh…you mean I'll be living here?"

"Yes, since you are a 'special' student here, I decided to let you live in here instead of one of the dorms. It'll also be easier for me to keep an eye on you."

"Is that so…" I muttered to myself.

"What was that?"

"Oh…thank you for letting me stay here."

"Good…oh, and just so you know you won't be living here alone. Lelouch and Nunnally live here as well. They will be like your neighbors.

"Lelouch and Nunnally?"

"You know Nunnally is in a wheelchair, right?"

"Yes, I think I remember that."

"Well it would be difficult for her to live in the dorms in her condition, so my grandfather gave special permission for those two to live in the clubhouse."

"I see…"

"Well, I'm sure the three of you will get along fine living in the clubhouse together. Oh my, look at the time; it's starting to get dark out here. I'll take you to your room and then be on my way."

"Oh yes, please do."

She then guided me to the room that I'll be staying in. Once we got there she handed me the key for the room.

"This will be your room for the time being. I hope you enjoyed your tour of Ashford Academy. I know I did."

"Oh yes, I'm thankful for you spending time to show me around."

"Tomorrow we might try some other things out to help you regain your memories. Well, I guess I'll leave you alone for the rest of today then. Good night Rai and I'll see you in the morning."

"Yeah, good night."

Milly then left so I went on ahead to my new room. I closed the door and took a good look at the room. It was an average sized room, which was alright for me. I walked over to my bed to lie down. As soon as I did though, there was a knock on my door. Man, what does Milly want from me now? I went to go open it, but when I did I found that Lelouch was standing there.

"Oh, you're Lelouch, right?"

"I see you remembered my name. Do you have a moment Rai?"

"Sure, what is it?"

"I heard from the President that you were allowed to live here. While you may think of this place as your home and are free to do as you wish…"

"Ah yes…I'm much obliged to you both for that."

"But I'm here to talk for my younger sister. Please try not to, how should I put this, surprise her too much. She has an eyesight disability you see…so she's very sensitive to sound."

"I understand…I'll try not to cause any trouble for the two of you then."

"Good, I'll trust your word. Well then, I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Yeah, see you later."

Lelouch then headed off to his own room so I closed the door and locked it this time. I then took a quick shower and then proceeded to head for bed.

(Out of Rai's POV)

Meanwhile over in Lelouch's perspective, he was just entering his room where he was greeted by a girl with green hair. She was simply known as C.C.

"So, how is our new neighbor? Did you get any new information out of him?" C.C. said as she was lying down on Lelouch's bed. Lelouch responded to her by saying…

"No, I didn't. I just had a little chat with him to ensure Nunnally's safety while in his presence."

"Hmph…A man without memories wouldn't know who he is loyal to or where he belongs."

"For now I'll let Rai live here and do whatever he wants. It'll give me the chance to study him and figure out his true identity, and once I know who he really is, I'll know how to deal with him."

"When that time comes, we'll all be amazed by who the real Rai is."

"Heh, perhaps we will be amazed." Lelouch said as he chuckled to himself. C.C. simply sat back on the bed and smiled to herself.

(C.C.'s Narration)

Unbeknownst to Rai and even all the students at Ashford Academy Lelouch Lamperouge has two of several secrets hidden from them. The first secret was that Lelouch was keeping a mysterious girl named C.C. hidden in his room. Not even Milly knew of this secret. The second was what the mysterious girl gave Lelouch. She gave him a power called Geass which allowed Lelouch to make anyone he uses it on to obey his every command. But just like Rai's Geass, Lelouch's Geass also had its own limitations. If Lelouch and Rai were to ever find out about the other's secrets, how would they react to the truth and what would they do to each other? For now however, nobody knows.

The next day…

(Back to Rai's POV)

It's another day, and also another day without my memories. I got up, put my school uniform on, and took a look at the clock. Hmm, it looks like I got up pretty early today. There is plenty of time before classes start. Maybe I'll go take a walk around campus or something. I opened the door to leave my room but when I unlocked the door there was a red headed girl standing in front of my door. She looked like she was about to knock on the door but put her arm down when I opened it. This girl…I think her name was Kallen. She seemed a little surprised when the door opened.

"Oh, good morning…I see you are already awake."

"Oh…uh…Good morning..." I said nervously. I definitely wasn't expecting a pretty girl to be standing in front of my door this morning.

"I can see you are looking better than you did a couple of days ago. Milly told me to wake you up and take you to her."

"O-Okay...I guess I should head over to the school building to find her then."

"Ah, she is not at the school building. Milly is waiting for you in the clubhouse's student council room."

"Oh yeah, I forgot about that."

We then began walking down the hallway together.

"So, how is it? Did you remember anything?" Kallen said trying to strike up a conversation.

"No, nothing yet."

"I see, I guess amnesia isn't so simple to cure."

Giving up on her question, she didn't seem very interested in getting an answer. I felt something awkward, like an invisible wall forming between us.

"Ah, you've woken up." Shirley said walking up to us.

"Good morning."

"Good morning Rai. Have you remembered anything?"

"N-No...nothing yet."

"I see, I guess that's to be expected though. 'Everything will be solved if you sleep well for one night!' I suppose that kind of reasoning doesn't really work."

The girl who had come just now had an overly friendly attitude, which, compared to the heavy atmosphere surrounding Kallen, gave me quite a relief. As Shirley joined us, all three of us walked together, until we heard a noisy voice from the other side of the door we were walking towards. It was a bright, familiar, cheerful voice.

"Come on, let's go in." Kallen said as she opened the door. The three of us then proceeded to enter the student council room. Milly and Nina were in there waiting for us.

"Milly, I brought him here just like you told me to."

"Oh, you've successfully brought him here. Thank you very much for your efforts!"

Milly then turned towards me.

"Good morning Rai!"

"Good morning..." Nina silently said.

"Good morning." I said to them both.

I just then realized that I was completely surrounded by girls. Normally, any healthy young man would be delighted with something like this. But I only had a strange feeling of unease. Was I originally poor at these kinds of situations? Since I had no memories, I lacked the self-confidence to understand the reason behind this feeling. Yes...it was like the feeling of being out of place. The feeling was not only directed towards my surroundings, but also towards me.

"So where is everyone else?" I said wondering where Lelouch, Rivalz and Suzaku were.

"I got them doing something else for me right now. So, have you managed to remember anything yet?"

I just quietly stood there.

"What is it? Are you actually a wandering prince?! An agent from the Chinese Federation?! Or, maybe even a time traveler from the future?!"

I think her imagination was getting too wild.

"...I still haven't remembered anything yet."

"...I suppose that's to be expected."

"Sorry…"

"Ah, there's nothing for you to apologize for. I'm the one who's sorry, for being so overeager just now."

"Everyone was called here for the same reason right?" Kallen began to speak.

"Kallen too…? I was asked to come here not that long ago as well." Shirley quickly shouted out.

"Truly, I'm sincerely sorry for that." Milly said to the girls and then continued on.

"I called you all here to help come up with ideas of how we can help poor Rai here recover his memories. So, any ideas here?"

"Why don't we try a change of pace? We could try looking around several places in the Settlement." This was suggested by Kallen.

That may certainly be true. Instead of simply staying on school campus, I should seize the chance to find something outside that can trigger my memories to return.

"That's right, you'll probably remember if something out there triggers it. It's better than just sitting around and worrying, right?" Shirley said agreeing with Kallen.

"Then in that case, I'll leave guiding him to you, Kallen." Milly said with her hand forward.

"Eh…Why me?" Kallen said confused.

"It's the 'person who brings up the subject who must be the first to act upon it' rule. It's a law common around the world." Milly said to Kallen.

"Isn't it fine? It's a law that nothing can be done about." Shirley then proceeded to say.

"Hey, that's just for your own convenience! Ah...I mean, that sort of thing is just too much for me...And I don't really know the area that well..." Kallen snapped at them at first but then continued speaking in a quieter manner as if to hide her real emotions.

"Really…It's just that, Kallen has been showing her face at school more recently, so I thought you had a good recovery." Shirley then said.

"Exactly…Then, as the student council president, I hereby nominate Kallen as Rai's official helper." Milly said as she was doing what appeared to be twirling an invisible wand in her hand.

"Huh!?" Kallen then spoke out.

"All those in favor, say I. I!" Milly shouted out enthusiastically.

"I!" Shirley shouted out in a similar manner to Milly.

"I..." Nina quietly said.

"The decision has been approved by majority vote! This emergency resolution by the student council shall be implemented. This is the order of the student council president!"

"That's just..."

"That's okay with you too, right?" Milly said looking at me.

"Uh…Well…I guess I don't mind."

"It's settled then, as soon as school is finished today, you will both meet and carry out the plan at the settlement's public park. And now, since classes are about to begin, you are all dismissed!"

Kallen looked down in disappointment. After various things happened, it seems like Kallen will be guiding me around for a while. Although she didn't say it, I could tell Kallen was not at all happy about being forced into helping me, and it made feel bad. But at least it's better than me just hanging around here in the clubhouse like an ornament. I have to find the mysteries to my past as soon as possible, for everyone's sake. For the time being, I'll try not to forget to go to the park after school. I just hope we'll be able to find something there. Something connected to my memories.

I left the room by myself and headed to my next class. The classes today pretty much operated like they did yesterday. Once all my classes were finished for the day I decided to go find the park. I definitely did not want to be late. I headed out and while crossing the courtyard I heard a voice call out to me. It was Suzaku.

"Hey, Rai."

"Ah…Suzaku."

"How are you doing? Is there anything inconvenient in your life right now?"

"Oh no, I'm all right."

"I see. If there's something that's bothering you, please feel free to tell me."

"In that case, could you tell me how to get to the park? I'm not exactly sure where everything is outside of school campus."

"Sure thing…The park is not that far from the school and I was about to head out myself anyways."

Suzaku then guided me off school grounds and towards the park. We started to have a discussing on our way there.

"Thanks again for spending your time to help me."

"Anytime, because everyone else is also trying to help you. Just like they did for me as well."

"For me as well…? Did you lose your memory too?"

"Ahaha, no, no, it's not like that. I came to this school as a new student recently as well. However, in the respect that neither of us knew right from left when we first came here, we're similar, don't you think?"

"I guess so."

"When I first came here, the other students keep their distance from me. But in time some of them started to show kindness to me. In particular, the people from the student council. So therefore, if there is anything you need, you can rely on me. For me, that's how I want to repay the favor they did for me."

"I see. I understand what you mean."

But really though…everyone is making such a fuss in wanting to help me to this extent, even though I haven't even been here long. However, it's thanks to their kindness that I'm here now. I'm grateful for that. I should rely on everyone a little more and open up to them. We then arrived at the park.

"Well, this is where you wanted to go right?"

"Yes."

"In that case, I'll split with you here. I have some work to go do. Later."

"Yeah, see you."

I then parted ways with Suzaku here. The location of my appointment with Kallen was here in the Settlement Park. I had intended to arrive here a little earlier than the agreed upon time, but I found Kallen already there waiting for me. She was talking on her cell phone to someone and I could hardly hear what they were talking about.

"Yes, that right. I will not be able to head out with you guys on tonight's mission. I'm stuck doing work for student council. You can go ahead and tell Z-..." Kallen then turned and saw me approaching so she quickly turned around and said…

"I'm sorry, but I have to go now." She then turned off her phone and put it away.

"Ah, you came."

"That was the promise after all."

"...You didn't hear anything about what I was talking about on the phone, did you?" Kallen said as she put her hand into her pouch.

"Not really, although I did hear something about a mission at night though."

"Ah yes, you see, I was talking to my friend on the phone about this online game I play with them at night."

"Oh, I see."

"…Um, please don't say anything to the people at school about that, okay?"

"Don't worry. I won't say anything."

"Good…" Kallen then started to look around our surroundings.

"You know, this is a convenient place for people to meet, isn't it? Though it's crowded during the holidays." Kallen was trying to change the subject now.

"Uh…yeah, I guess."

"Well then, we should get going now."

Kallen then started to show me around while giving a tour of the settlement. She took me to the marketplace first.

"You can get most of your articles and goods from here."

"I see…"

Kallen then showed me other parts of the settlement and as she did I began to discover the true nature of the place I was at. Tokyo Settlement…The Britannia within Japan…Area 11…The former Japan is now Area 11. This city of Japan now the city of Britannia. In the end, where was this place? This out of place feeling...Yes, it was the same as me. I had no memories, yet I still had the knowledge needed to live. And yet, I didn't know who I was. Who was I? A hollow city…A hollow me…I wonder who would understand the true form of this city?

"What is it? What are you thinking about?" Kallen said looking at me.

"Huh...Nothing in particular."

"Is my guiding boring to you?"

Kallen's words were slightly harsh towards me. But then again, she had been coerced into being my guide, so I suppose it was not unreasonable of her to feel that way.

"I'm…I'm sorry." I said as I bowed my head.

"Eh?"

"You have been keeping somebody like me company, who doesn't even know anything. I know that Milly and the others pretty much forced this task to help me onto to you. And while I understood that you gave the impression that you did not want to help directly, I did not do anything to prevent that. I'm truly sorry for that."

Kallen just stood there as I said that.

"I really am..."

"It's fine...Don't worry about it." Kallen said that as she gave a weak smile.

It was dark by the time we reached the middle of the settlement. Kallen seemed ready to call it quits for today.

"Well this is today's spot. Were you able to divert yourself a little?"

"Y-Yeah..."

"Well I hope that you will remember something. So, will it be fine if we meet each other at the park for our next meeting as well?"

"Sure..."

Kallen and I then started to part ways. While she held back in keeping it simple and showing only the main points, I could now safely guide myself around the settlement to the places I needed to go for my everyday life. I was ready to head on back to Ashford when I bumped into someone wearing a brown uniform and hat.

"Huh? What are you doing in a place like this Rai?"

"You…You're..."

"It's Suzaku. Kururugi Suzaku."

That's right, Suzaku. However, that wasn't a school's uniform he was wearing. It looked more like an army uniform.

"I'm sorry Suzaku. I couldn't recognize you wearing that uniform. It's not a school uniform, is it?"

"Ah, these clothes? That's right...I haven't told you yet, but I'm doing some work for the army."

"You work for the army?"

"Well, it's more like I'm helping them a little, I guess...Leaving that aside, what are you doing out here by yourself?"

"Well I was with Kallen just a little while ago. She was giving an assignment by Milly to give me a tour of the Settlement to help trigger something for my memories. I don't remember anything about my past yet, but I do have a clearer picture of the Settlement now. I was about to head on back when I ran into you."

"I see…In that case, you wouldn't mind if I guided you back to Ashford, just to make you return safely."

I know that earlier today Suzaku said that if I ever needed help I could rely on him. However, I was wary of Suzaku after hearing he was working for the army. I didn't understand the reason for it myself. For some reason though, I just didn't trust the Britannian military. But for now I'll accept his offer.

"If it's not a problem, I would appreciate it."

"I was heading back towards my workplace, which is near the school anyway. So it's really not a problem."

"Thank you."

"Remember what I said earlier today, if you're ever troubled about something; feel free to talk to me about it."

"Yeah, sure..."

Suzaku seemed to be truly worried about me. For some reason, the wariness that had welled up inside me towards the army didn't vanished. However, it didn't seem like I had to point that wariness at this person. Suzaku and I then headed on back to Ashford Academy.

"Well, here we are. I guess I'll see you tomorrow in class."

"Yeah…See you."

Night had come...Under the moonlight, the world danced. As did both the Britannians, and the Elevens. As I looked up at the moon of the beautiful night sky, I thought about the circumstances surrounding the night sky that I would see in the future. What did the moon in my memories look like, I wonder? As the moon rises, I will remember someday. But was I allowed to believe in that...?

Moving on to the next Stage…


	3. Chapter 3

Code Geass Colorless Memories

Stage 3: Discovering One's Interest

Today I was spending my morning running around the school grounds doing errands for Milly. Since I got up pretty early today, I thought it would be best to go walk around and get some fresh air before heading off for class. But then I unfortunately ran into Milly, who had a job ready for me to do for student council. I had to go hang up flyers and posters for future school events all over the campus. Once I was finished with my duties, I headed on back to the clubhouse to report to Milly. When I opened the door for the student council room I saw Milly sitting on the table with her legs crossed chatting with Nina who was on the computer.

"Milly, I finished hanging up the posters and flyers."

"Oh, I see, and are you sure they are hanged up where everyone will see them?"

"Yes, I'm sure everyone will see them."

I mean come on; those posters were so huge I could probably see it from a mile away.

"Well, good work Rai. That completes your duties for the student council. I don't have anything else for you to do right now so you can go head to your first period."

"Well alright, I'll speak with you again later then."

"Oh, and one more thing."

"Yes?" I said sticking my head back in.

"Whenever you have the time, you should go check out the school library. There are tons of books and magazines there with information on just about everything. Who knows, maybe something will jog your memories if you look into it."

"Yeah, I'll be sure to look into that."

"You do know where it is right?"

"Don't worry…I know where it is. I'll see you later."

"Sigh…I know he doesn't remember anything about himself but he needs to show a little bit more expression." Milly sighed to herself after I have already left the room.

Now that I was done with student council work I headed for the school building. But before I could open the door several boys ran out all at once from inside, knocking me over and unintentionally stepped all over me with their shoes. Ergh…What was that all about? I turned around and saw them running straight towards the school gate. In front of them was a black limousine parked in front of the gate. Dozens of other boys ran over to the car as well, all screaming and getting all riled up.

"Good morning, Kallen!"

"Are you feeling okay today?"

"If it's too hard, I'll carry your bag for you."

"Hey, you…Gaining an advantage like that is against the rules!"

"There isn't any such rule!"

Geezs, what a commotion. I walked over there as well, but I had no idea what the reason for this uproar was. I stood outside the group of students and cautiously peeked between a gap in the crowd to see a red-headed girl get out of the car. It was Kallen. The eyes of all the male students were focused her.

"What's up…See something you like?"

Rivalz then suddenly appeared before me and gave me quite a surprise.

"Uwah…Rivalz…"

"Oh I see…you got a thing for her, don't you?"

"No, it's not…"

But Rivalz apparently didn't hear me and kept on jabbering.

"Kallen Stadtfeld…They say she's sick or something. She barely showed up at school last year either. Still, her grades are at the top of the class. She's also very popular among the boys on campus. Therefore, this happens every time she comes to school. And she's a member of the Stadtfeld family, which means she's well bred and rolling with money. Man, you sure know how to pick them."

"It's not like that."

"Ah, you don't have to hide it from me. Though she's a touch too sheltered if you ask me."

The crowd of males suddenly broke up and Kallen came forward towards where we were standing.

"Good morning Rivalz, Rai."

"Oh, good morning…Kallen." I said.

"Good morning…Are you feeling well today?" Rivalz asked.

"Yes, since if I miss class too much, I won't be able to keep up with my studies…"

"Yeah, I thought you would feel better today since you were hanging out with Rai yesterday in the park."

Hearing Rivalz say that caused me to shake up and Kallen to look down slightly as her cheeks reddened. The next moment, I felt glares of killing intent concentrated on me from the crowd of male students.

"W-Where did you hear that from?" Kallen abruptly asked.

"Well Madam President told me of course!"

"Speaking about that, we will be meeting each other again in the park today, right Rai?"

"Uh…yeah…"

"Well, make sure you don't forget and I'll see you later."

After saying that, Kallen bowed her head, and headed towards the school building at a slow pace. With eyes full of killing intent, the male students glared at me once more, chased after her and headed to the school building as well.

"Oh boy, how unfortunate. Now you'll have to keep an eye out on those guys. It'll get serious from now on."

"Huh…What are you talking about?"

"Well, it's because those fellows are very enthusiastic about Kallen. Though once they find out that you're uninterested, you'll be able to rest easily. However, you have to endure until then! Though it may be depressing, be careful for the time being okay?"

Rivalz slapped my back, in spite of the fact that he was smirking and laughing. He was starting to get a little too happy and cheerful from my point of view.

"I don't really get it but…okay."

"Well, we better head off for our classes too."

"Right…"

We both then headed off to class. After lunch I went over to the school library to see if anything there will help me remember something. When I got there I picked up some books and sat at a table to read them. Even though none of the books I read gave me any clues to my past, I did learn about the world's history like Julius Caesar and the Roman Empire, the adventures of Marco Polo, the American Revolution, Napoleon Bonaparte and the formation of the E.U. The last book I read was the most interesting one to me. It was about the history of Japan and contained information like how the Sumeragi clan gained nobility, famous martial artists and shoguns, and how Japan became part of Britannia and is now known as Area 11. Apparently, back in the year 2010 a.t.b. Britannia invaded Japan in what was called the Second Pacific War. Britannia easily overwhelmed Japan with its new weapon, the Humanoid Autonomous Armored Knight called the Knightmare Frame. Britannia then took over the land, secured the sakuradite stored in it, renamed it Area 11, and the Japanese were given the alien name Eleven. What sparked my interest though was the knightmare frames. I didn't know why, but I was fascinated by the looks of those machines and I wanted to know more about them. I began roaming around the library looking for a book about Knightmare Frames but couldn't find one. So I then decided to look them up on a nearby computer. Let's see, the first knightmare used for battle was the 4th generation knightmare called Glasgows. The Glasgows were used to easily defeat Japan back in the Second Pacific War. After showing overwhelming results, Britannia began production on newer, better knightmares which led to the creation of the 5th generation knightmare, RPI-13 Sutherland. Britannia also produce knightmares used to counter other knightmares, called the 5th generation anti-knightmare frame, RPI-Gloucester. Today knightmare frames are the focal point of war and other counties such as China and the E.U. have begun making their own knightmare frames to keep up with Britannia. Even now everyone is trying to produce newer, more powerful frames.

"Oh hey, there you are Rai. I finally found you."

I was shocked to see Suzaku coming in. I didn't want someone like him, who was part of the military, to see me researching knightmare frames on my computer screen so I quickly exited the page I was on.

"Hello Suzaku…What's with the worried face…Is something wrong?"

"Yeah, you weren't in your last three classes. Everyone started to worry and thought something happened. We told Milly about you. She suggested that you were in the library and luckily I found you here."

"…I see. So everyone was worried about me huh?"

Even though I've only been here a few days, everyone on student council was worried about my sudden disappearance.

"So, what exactly were you doing here anyways?"

"Well I figured that with all the knowledge this library has I would find something to trigger the return of my memories but I ended up finding nothing about myself."

"Man, it seems like your memories are locked up somewhere tight in your head."

"Yeah, it sure does feel like that to me. By the way which period is next anyways?"

"The last period of the day."

Oh, thank goodness Suzaku came by when he did. I probably would have forgotten that I had to meet Kallen in the park after my last class. We both went to our class and after that I headed on out to the park to meet Kallen. Suzaku offered to guide me to the park but I told him I knew my way there by now. Just like yesterday, Kallen was already there waiting for me at the park. Once she noticed me we began to walk around the settlement. I noticed that today the weather felt good. The rays of the sun were bright, the sky blue and high. I liked this kind of sky. Wait a minute, I like it? This kind of sky? Just when and where did I come to like it? I couldn't remember. Was the current sky similar to the sky I had known long ago? Was the sky I had come to like the sky of Area 11, Japan, or was it the sky of Britannia? I couldn't discern between my knowledge and my memories. I knew of a place once called Japan. As well as a country called Britannia. Kallen noticed that I was thinking about something so she started to speak up.

"Again..."

"Huh…"

"You're thinking about something again."

"Oh, ah...Sorry."

"That might be a good thing actually. If something occurs to you in your mind, it might trigger the return of your memories."

"It would be good if that was the case."

"What were you thinking about?"

"I definitely know this place. Like the Elevens would."

"...Just as I thought, you also call them that."

"Huh…what?"

Kallen shot a disappointed look at me. Did I say something wrong? I wasn't really sure what it was. The two of us sunk into silence as we stared away from each other. The only thing that was moving was time.

"It's that word, Eleven...This place is actually the country called Japan, and the people called Elevens are really Japanese, and yet, people still call them that."

"Somehow, I understand what you are saying. I don't know how to explain it, but I understand quite well what you're trying to say. I'm certain that, among the memories that I lost, there were things about this country of Japan and about the Japanese."

This situation could, by no means, be mended from mere words. I just tried to express what I was feeling. At those words, Kallen's eyes softened.

"I see...Could it be...that you were born in Area 11?"

"But you see, the thing is, I also know about the country called Britannia. Like Japan, I also intuitively know things about Britannia. It all just makes me feel more confused."

It was like I was always slanted somewhere in my mind, and never able to fix on any one feeling.

"So you're neither an Eleven, nor a Britannian, then?"

"Hard to say, for all we know, I might be both an Eleven and a Britannian.

"Both an Eleven...and a Britannian…"

This time it was Kallen who was deep in thought. What did I say to make her so strangely thoughtful? After having spoken with Kallen, I felt I could now clearing explain this feeling within myself. Though, that was just ascertaining one of the sources of my confusion. I still knew nothing about myself.

"But still, you may have moved forward a little."

"I wonder…will strolling idly like this really bring about results?"

"Yes, it will. By going around and seeing more, you might remember more. And you're not alone; everyone on student council is pitching in to help you."

"I see…Thank you."

"Of course, I am the person in charge of helping you after all."

Kallen's phone then started to ring.

"Oh, um…sorry, I have to answer this.

She then turned away from me, walked a distance to where I wouldn't hear her and answered the phone. When she finished talking to whoever was on the other line she came back to where I was standing with a disappointed look on her face.

"I'm sorry Rai, I know I'm supposed to be your helper and all but there's some important business I have to attend to. I truly am sorry."

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'm sure that whatever you need to do is very important right?"

"Um…Yeah…"

"I'll be fine on my own. I think I got this area figured out by now. You just go do what you need to do."

"Right…I really am sorry that this had to happen. I'll be sure to help you find your memories some other day."

Kallen then headed off to tend to her business. Truth be told, I was a little curious about what she needed to do, but I wasn't going to force her to tell me. Now I was by myself in the settlement. While turning my eyes in every direction to see if something touched my memory, I unintentionally walked toward the shopping mall in the downtown area. I then suddenly heard someone call out from behind me.

"Huh…Rai, what are you doing here?"

When I looked back, I saw Shirley there giving me a cheerful smile.

"Oh Shirley…Why are you here?"

"That's my line…I'm here shopping! Since my diary has been filled up, I'm going to buy a new one…Oh, I know! Hey, are you doing anything right now?"

"…Well, I'm not doing anything right now in particular."

"Well then, why don't you come shopping with me? I'd like you to help me choose which diary to buy."

Shirley peered at my face. I was a bit startled by her very friendly atmosphere.

"I don't really mind but…Why would you want to go with me?"

"Why…Because we're both in student council. The way I see it, that makes us friends."

Shirley smiled as she said this. So I'm her friend huh…

"I-Is that so…So, which store are you going to?"

"First, let's go to the place at my favorite stationary."

As she said that, Shirley turned around and began to walk in the direction of a store. She then entered a completely normal looking stationary store. At the diary section of the store, there were all kinds of diaries in stock of various sizes.

"Hey, don't you think this one is cute?"

"Yeah, but look at the price."

"The price…What…W-Why is it so expensive…"

We carefully considered each of the insides of the various diaries and then finally, she picked out a diary.

"…Yes, I'll take this one! I've decided on this big red diary! Red is a cute color and it's big enough to write in a lot of memories. Hey, don't you like it?"

"I agree…The price is also reasonable."

"…You're only worried about the price. You boys are all the same."

"Huh, is that so…?"

Maybe money wasn't a big issue to her? It seemed as if there was no room to speak honestly about only the price. Shirley then laughed at my confused face.

"But thank you very much though! I was glad to be able to choose one together with you."

Once Shirley finished paying for the dairy at the cash register, we both left the stationary store. Shirley hugged the paper bag with the valuable diary inside.

"Thanks to you, I managed to get a good buy today. Well then, it's time to go home."

"…I guess so."

I didn't find the key to my memory, but I think that I had fun spending time with Shirley. Shirley went on home while I stuck around the mall to keep looking around. When it became obvious I wasn't going to discover anything here I headed on back to Ashford Academy. The sun was starting to go down anyways. When I returned to the clubhouse, at the entrance I came across…Milly.

"So, do you think this is a good school Rai?"

"…It's fine."

"For someone who's talking to the school principal's granddaughter, that's a pretty bland response."

"Sorry…"

"Even if you apologize it's still a problem. Well, it's true that that you have no memories and are uneasy in a place you don't know, but if you're so gloomy all the time, then your memories probably won't return. First, you've got to enjoy the life here, ENJOY IT, right?"

"…I'll make an effort."

"You're still too stiff. STIFF! You have to use a cheerful pop style. Come on, smile!"

"Smile…You mean like this?"

I tried to pull off a smile but it just didn't come out right for me.

"I'm sorry…Shall we move at your own pace? Your smile, in particular, needs practice."

"I'll…just go at my own pace."

After Milly finally left I went on back to my room and went to bed. The next day I was heading on out of the clubhouse when I noticed a girl in a wheelchair and a maid coming out of a room. If I remember correctly, the girl in the wheelchair is Lelouch's sister, Nunnally Lamperouge. She seemed surprised that I was walking on by.

"Oh, is…someone there?"

"Oh…Ah…"

"Miss Nunnally, it's that boy who came to this school a few days ago, the one that Miss Milly found."

"It's Rai." I said as I presented myself.

"Ah, no wonder I heard unfamiliar footsteps. Good morning Rai."

"…Good morning."

"How are you doing? Is everything okay?"

"Well besides having no memories, I'm all right."

"If you ever need anything don't hesitate to ask me or my big brother for help. We'll be glad to help you out in any way we can."

"Oh, uh…sure…I'll be sure to ask you two if the need ever arises. Please excuse me; I need to head for class."

"Well, see you later Rai."

It became unbearable for me to stay any longer, and so I left at a quick pace. What was with that carefree face? While I spoke, I had felt some kind of shame inside me…I don't understand why talking to that face makes me uneasy. Later on that day it was lunch break. The cafeteria was filled with many students who were enjoying their meal and chatting together.

"Hey Rai…How's it going?"

"Rivalz…"

Looking back with surprise, I saw Rivalz eating ravioli, beckoning me to the seat beside him.

"Don't you have anyone to eat with? Then let's eat together as two lonely guys."

"…Sure."

I sat down in the seat next to Rivalz.

"By the way, you probably been asked this several times this week but…have you remembered anything yet?"

"No."

"Is that so…well, you should take your time. You don't have to rush and be impatient. At any rate, the president is the granddaughter of the school's principal. With a friend like that, you can get by with anything you can want from around here. Besides, we're pretty lucky too. When we have a problem, we can always get advice for everything, right?"

"Yeah…I guess so."

"By the way…Don't you think there're a lot of cute girls in the student council?"

"Huh…Well, I guess so. What of it?"

"Is there anyone who you feel inclined to? If you like I can introduce you."

"No…There isn't anyone in particular…"

"Is that so…? Well, if you ever have a girl on your mind, please tell me anytime."

"…Well, then first of all, I would like to hear more about Milly and then maybe a little about the rest of the girls on student council."

"All right then, the president treats people in a rough manner, but beneath that she is a wonderful and considerate woman! Well, to tell the truth, I'm also aiming for her. If you're also…Then, we'll do this fair and square, without jumping ahead of the other! As for the rest of student council we already talked about Kallen yesterday so we can skip her. Now about Nina, well…Nina's shyness can get very extreme and then it becomes impossible to get close to her. As for Shirley, you can see she's a fine, bright girl. She's in the swimming club too…Their swimsuits are great! However, Lelouch is the likely winner here, even I have to admit. And last but not least is Nunnally. She may not be an official member but she's an honorary member to the rest of us. You already know for a fact that she's Lelouch's younger sister. And with her disability in her eyes and legs…"

Rivalz lost the light tone of his voice as his eyes became downcast. But he quickly looked up and showed a smiling face.

"But she is very gentle and is a good kid, you know? The problem is Lelouch is always doting on her. In order to go out with Nunnally, you'll need his permission, which is very difficult to get."

I remember Lelouch's expression when he seemed crossed. Anyone who wants to call him brother-in-law definitely needs plenty of courage.

"Well…thank you very much for the information."

"Anytime…we better finish eating here and head on over to the clubhouse to do some paperwork."

"Oh yes…paperwork."

Ever since I exchanged words with Kallen at the school gate, it seemed as if all the eyes in the school were looking at me with hostility. It wasn't only during class either. When I go out, I was made last in line for lunch and in the bathroom as well. I'm not really being harmed, so there are no problems. Even today as I was walking on over to the clubhouse with Rivalz I felt like I'm being watched. Rivalz seemed to have caught on and spoke up as we were sitting in the council room.

"Whoa, what's with your face? Are you still being marked by those Kallen fanboys?"

"I guess so."

"It's because those fellows are pretty persistent. If they cause any real harm, you may want to get Kallen herself to say something about this."

"Good afternoon."

And what do you know; Kallen had come into the room with perfect timing.

"Oh, there are only two people here today?"

"That's because we finished eating early and decided to do some work for student council."

"Mmm…I thought that today was the best day for me to come."

Kallen put down the bundle of papers she had in her hands on the desk a little distance away from us and then sat down next to it.

"Leaving that aside, you really need to deal with those admirers of yours somehow. Since that time at the gate, Rai here has been watched by those guys the whole time while he is on campus."

"Eh, is that so? I'm really sorry. However, it's not as if I'm ordering it or anything. Besides, those people don't really mean any harm…"

"Don't bet on it. It may be okay now, but as it is, a mistake might occur eventually."

Kallen's expression fell, and just for a short while, I really didn't like the face she showed.

"I understand…I'll ask them to stop bothering you. I'm sorry for causing you trouble like this, Rai."

"It's okay, don't worry about it."

"However, you're also becoming very popular Rai. They will probably still keep fussing about you and cause various problems."

"Nn…Why am I so conspicuous even though I don't want to stand out as much as possible?" Kallen cried out.

"There are various people who should be shouldering the blame for this. Well, I think you should probably give up on being inconspicuous." Rivalz said.

I saw Kallen wearing a gloomy expression on her face. It may be that she can't accept Rivalz's viewpoint in the end.

"By the way Rai, I'm sorry to tell you this, but I won't be able to help you after school today. I have some other important business to attend to again."

"What…You're skipping out on your duties for student council. If Madam President found out about this she'll…"

"No, it's okay. I understand that Kallen has her own personal matters to attend to."

"Thank you for understanding Rai. I'll make sure I will be able to go with you next time. Well, see you later Rivalz, Rai."

Kallen then proceeded to leave the room.

"Man, I know Kallen is a sickly girl and all, but I only have to wonder how one gets so sickly like that." Rivalz asked out loud once she was gone.

"Who knows…?"

Once I was finished with my student council work I was ready to go head out for the Settlement. Today it seems like I'll be by myself the whole time. Before I got out of the school gates though, I saw Suzaku and a tall man with the appearance of a researcher walking together from a trailer across the street from the school. Noticing my presence, Suzaku bowed to the man deeply after talking with him, and then ran over to where I was.

"Hey, are you going out somewhere?"

"Yeah, I'm thinking about going downtown today."

"To find some clues to your memories with Kallen, right?"

"Actually…I'm going by myself today. Kallen isn't able to come with me."

"Oh, I see. In that case, I'll go with you."

"Huh…Is that alright?"

I looked at the man Suzaku had just been talking to as I said this. The man now seemed to be deep in conversion with a female soldier.

"Yeah, it's fine. It seems my work for today is finished."

Suzaku once again bowed his head to the man as he said this. The female soldier responded to us by giving a small wave of her hand. Though the man gave a thin smile, it felt like I was being judged and appraised like some object by his evaluating eyes."

"That's my boss. It's okay, since I talked with him about it. So, shall we go?"

"Well…if it's really okay with you."

Suzaku and I then headed onward towards downtown. I wonder if Suzaku will be any more useful in helping me find my memories than Kallen did.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	4. Chapter 4

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 4: A Friend's Hidden Feelings

Suzaku and I began walking around downtown looking for clues to my past. One thing I noticed however is that compared to the first time I walked around the Settlement with Kallen, who kept things simple and showed only the main points, Suzaku would describe every little detail of whatever we were walking past. That was just the first time I walked with Kallen though. As time moved on she became more open to me. After walking around for a while Suzaku decided that we should sit down somewhere and get something to eat. We both ordered a hotdog and sat down near some steps.

"So, have you learned anything yet?"

"You know, with all the strolls I had with Kallen and today with you, I been learning more about the Settlement itself than about myself."

"That's not necessarily a bad thing is it?"

"I guess not…"

As we were talking the news was being broadcast on a huge television screen close to us. We ignored what they were saying until a person called Zero was mentioned. Hearing the name caused Suzaku to make a serious face as he turned towards the television screen.

"So, it's him again…"

"Who…?"

"Zero…"

"Zero…?"

I looked up at the screen and saw an image of a person in dark clothing wearing a black mask which covered his entire head.

"So, who exactly is this Zero?"

"That's right…you weren't here when he first appeared. Zero is the leader of a group called the Black Knights."

"The Black…Knights."

"They made their first public appearance at Lake Kawaguchi. The Black Knights saved the Britannian civilians from a hotel incident caused by the biggest group of terrorists in Area 11, the Japan Liberation Front. Ever since then they go after people who cause harm to others, especially if it happens to be an Eleven.

"Well they don't sound so bad to me."

"Don't get me wrong. I don't mind that they are helping people out, it's just how they do it is what bothers me. If all they wanted to do is catch criminals they could have joined the police force you know. Why don't they I wonder?"

"Maybe they think the police are not up for it."

"The police might not be that effective right now, but they could have change things from within the system. As long as they don't its only self righteous posturing. What constitute evil in their eyes? What standards are they using? It's nothing but self satisfying gratification."

Suzaku…I can tell by the tone of his voice that he is not someone who agrees with Zero's ideals. I know and understand that trying to change things from within the system sounds like a good idea and all but…even I know it would be very difficult to change a country like Britannia from within, almost impossible. I can also see how Zero's way of doing things work but I didn't want to completely agree with his way either. Suzaku continued to rant on about how Zero's way was wrong until I spoke out to him.

"Suzaku...I think that enough."

"Oh, sorry…I guess I got carried away there."

"How about we talk about something else now? Besides, I don't think this Zero or the Black Knights would help bring my memories back."

"You're right Rai. I could never see you associated with the Black Knights anyways."

"Yeah…How about we go back to looking around?"

"Sure."

We began walking around the settlement again until it was pitch dark outside. I then decided to call it quits for the day and told Suzaku I was heading on back to Ashford. When I returned I gazed at the white moon above the school. When I looked back down I noticed that the door that leads to the pool was open. Hmm…that's strange. Why would the entrance to the pool be open at this time of night? As I got closer to the door I suddenly heard the sound of water from inside. It sounded like someone was dropping into the water as they dived in. Someone seemed to be swimming in the pool. While being cautious, I decided to enter. Ahead, the door at the end of passageway to the pool had also already been opened, and it seemed like the sound of water was coming from there. Not wanting to take a footstep inside, I walked down the passage and peeked inside from a gap between the door and the wall and saw…

(Outside Rai's POV) Earlier…10 minutes before Rai came back to Ashford…

Moonlight seemed to be leaking from the hall's ceiling. The floor was illuminated in white. It was a large space, with a diving platform with a height of 10 meters, and you could see the moonlight being reflected off the water's surface. Inside the pool area was two people, Lelouch Lamperouge sitting down looking at his laptop and C.C. wearing a school swimsuit and was taking a swim in the pool. While C.C. was swimming and looking up at the moon Lelouch was on his laptop looking at the applicants of people who wanted to join the Black Knights. Yes, unbeknownst to everyone Lelouch Lamperouge holds yet another secret. He is Zero and also the leader of a group called the Black Knights. Right now he was searching for possible candidates for the Black Knights. The profile he was looking at now was a Britannian male called Diethard Ried.

"Hmm…A Britannian? Looks too confident to be a spy. An extremist?

"Isn't it wonderful how the number of recruits keeps growing?"

"And it was simpler than I ever imagined. While I bitterly hate the Britannians I refuse to condone terrorism. That's the prevailing view of most Elevens."

"Then basically Elevens support the Black Knights for the most part."

"This in turn makes it easier for us to operate as a whole. It's a huge help that nobody reports our activities to the Britannian Military. The number of informants has been increasing quickly too. The Japanese can't resist jumping on the bandwagon. They hear a well grounded bus and off they go."

"Hence the knights for justice."

"Yeah well everyone loves a hero, and what better hero than a knight."

"I doubt that's what a real knight for justice would say."

"You don't think so?"

C.C. then heard footsteps and realized that someone was heading for the pool area.

"Lelouch, someone is coming."

Lelouch then closed his laptop and hid himself in the dark areas of the room while C.C. jumped back into the pool and started swimming again.

(Back to Rai's POV)

As I turned my gaze towards the sound of water, I saw a long-haired girl in a swimsuit, floating on her back on top of the dark yet shiny water. Seeming completely natural, the girl let herself be swept away while leaving a small wake in the water behind her as she floated on the moon-lit water. The girl then turned her face towards me. Our eyes met. The next moment, she made the sound of splashing water and disappeared under the water. Silence encompassed the area. Feeling as if I saw something I shouldn't have seen, I backed away towards the door and ran back to my room.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Meanwhile back in the pool C.C. called out to Lelouch…

"Okay Lelouch, you can come back out. He's gone now."

Lelouch then slowly walked out of the darkness that he was hiding in.

"Who was that C.C.?"

"Don't worry so much. It was only Rai."

"Rai huh…I guess he saw the entrance open and wanted to know who was in here."

"So this boy, Rai, did he ever find his missing memories yet?"

"Not from what I heard. Although I am interested in what his true character is I'm letting Milly and the others deal with him. I'm trying to raise an army that can defeat Britannia. I can't waste my time trying to help someone who doesn't know anything about himself. But, maybe I'll go check on his current situation tomorrow."

After hearing that C.C. turned her head away from Lelouch and began looking up at the moon again.

(Back to Rai's POV)

The next day I was heading to my class when Lelouch called out to me from the hallway.

"How have you doing so far, Rai? Do you have any problems about class in general?"

"And what do you mean by that?"

"Let's see, how should I word this…your degree of understanding?"

"Well, I haven't had any problems so far. I understand my subjects quite well."

"I had thought that the education might…give you some clues to your memories."

"Is that so…You seem to think about various things…"

"No, I don't really pay attention to such things. I'm more interested in your true identity."

"Oh…is that so?"

"There is something else I want to ask. You wouldn't happen to have heard someone in the pool last night have you? According to Milly, there is someone who constantly goes there at night to go swimming."

"Well now that you mention it I did see the entrance to the pool open last night and went in to check if someone was in there."

"And what did you see?"

"I wasn't there for long but I did see a girl with long hair swimming in the pool."

"I see…Did you see anyone else there?"

"No, when I saw the girl I kind of got frightened and ran off."

"(So he didn't see me) So it was a girl huh? Thank you for sharing this with me. I'll make sure something is done about that."

The bell than rang for our next class.

"Well, we better get going. We don't want to be late."

"Yeah…"

After class I went up to the school building's rooftop to get some fresh air. While I was up there I began gazing down at the school grounds below. Suddenly Rivalz ran up from downstairs.

"Geez, what did that guy go…? Oh, Rai…Can you play chess?"

"Chess…?"

"Yeah…I need someone to chess-pinch-hit for me at my part-time job."

"What is that exactly?"

"It's chess-pinch-hitting, gambling with rich nobles. Lelouch is a very good at it. He just beat his shortest time record the other day; eight minutes, thirty-two seconds."

"Sounds impressive."

While I thought that sounded cool, I also felt it must have been dangerous. The amount of money spent on a pinch-hitting gamble with a noble must have been a lot…

"But is that really alright to do?"

"I can't imagine Lelouch losing. It's more certain than any other type of gambling."

"And what about you?"

"I just get the requests from the customers, convey it to Lelouch, and leave the rest to him."

"…I see."

"Ah, wait a minute; did you just look down on me a little?"

Rivalz seemed a little offended by my short reply. However, his smile instantly returned.

"Even I can play it a little. Well, it's true that I can never compete with Lelouch. Oh look, he's finally here…"

Looking over his shoulder, I saw that Lelouch had just come onto the rooftop.

"Sorry for being late."

"Hey hey, you're late Lelouch."

"Sorry about that. Sayoko had gone out shopping, so Nunnally was all alone."

"Ah, in that case, it can't be helped…Anyway, we don't have any time to waste. We have to hurry over there right away."

"You're right."

"Then let's head out. See you later Rai."

"Yeah, later…"

Rivalz and Lelouch then left the rooftop at a half-run. A few minutes after they left I decided to head back down as well. As I was walking down the hallway Shirley came running up to me.

"Oh Rai, there's something I need to ask you."

"What is it?"

"You wouldn't happen to know where Lulu and Rivalz are right now?"

Lulu? Oh that's right, Lelouch's pet nickname.

"Well I saw them a few minutes ago but then they suddenly took off for somewhere."

"I knew it! They're off gambling for money again aren't they? Lulu may be smart, but he wastes his time on stupid things like that."

"You sound like you care for him a lot."

"Well…uh…of course. He's a member of student council. And him doing things like gambling just gives the rest of us student council members a bad name. But at least you wouldn't do anything like that."

"Yeah…um…sorry Shirley but I have to get going. I need to go meet up with Kallen downtown today. I'll talk with you again some other time."

"Oh, go on ahead then. I wouldn't want to be stalling you."

After saying goodbye to Shirley I walked on down the hall and left the building. As soon as I did though a soccerball came falling straight into my face causing me to fall down. Ow…what now? A student then came over and picked up the football.

"Sorry about that, it was an accident, an _accident_."

He then ran on back to his group of friends. You know, if I didn't know any better, I say he intentionally kicked that soccerball at me. Oh well, I don't have time to deal with them right now, there are more important business to deal with. I headed on downtown where Kallen was waiting for me. Once we got together, we started walking around. After a while Kallen began speaking…

"Today's weather is good, isn't it?"

"Yeah…come to think of it, it's always been sunny every time I take a walk with you. Could it be that you're the so called clear-weather woman?"

"Really…Maybe you're the clear-weather guy?"

"Or maybe we're just two rain people who cancel each other out."

"Oh my…In that case, we should try to go out together as much as possible for everyone else's sake."

Compared to all our rendezvous up until now, Kallen and I were showing each other far more expression, and I had also grown accustomed to the settlement. The former capital of Japan, Tokyo, was divided between the settlement where the ruling Britannians lived, and the ghettos where the ruled Elevens lived.

"There's a place I'd like to go."

"That's fine…Things like going where you want to go might help you remember something."

We then headed towards the park in the ghettos.

"Here?"

"I…I wanted to see it from here."

From this location at the edge of the settlement, I had an unbroken view of this devastated region, clearly different from the showy and well-maintained streets of the settlement. Cruelly destroyed, all the buildings had been reduced to rubble after being exposed to the elements. The roads were cut to pieces. Only a collapsed highway bridge remained. The only thing left in this area was the wreckage left behind in the history of civilization, but people were still living here even so.

"The ghettos huh…"

"What's with this scene…Why is it so different…?"

"That's because Britannia…"

"Because Britannia defeated Japan and took away its name, making it the Britannian territory of Area 11. I understand that…"

Light and shadow…What is with this, leaving the ghetto in such a neglected state, carrying on scars from the war even now, while the settlement has, by contrast, shown such immense development.

"This is what it means to be ruled over. Britannia took control of Japan by force, renamed it Area 11, didn't permit any autonomy, and didn't even give it a chance to recover from its war damage. And then, the only place to live they built up afterwards was a castle for the rulers, for themselves. That's this settlement! They have abundant energy from their solar panels. They have clean water and sewage, and goods they brought overseas from all over the world. Because everything is for the Britannians…Everything is used only for the Britannians who rule over Japan!"

I couldn't imagine such violent anger coming from the usually subdued Kallen. Why was she, a Britannia herself, getting so angry, I wonder?

"…It's because of the Sakuradite. You know…Mt Fuji, right? Perhaps that mountain is now a symbol of the current times. It had the largest streak of Sakuradite in the world. So Japan was invaded…So Japan was occupied…So Japan was ruled over. It's just fine for everyone else. Elevens die, but we live, right? They just keep the Japanese alive so that they can provide for them. To the degree that they can be ruled over and governed easily. Did you know, Rai…If an Eleven applies at the government office, they can become an Honorary Britannian."

Honorary Britannian…I think Suzaku said he was an Honorary Britannian.

"Honorary Britannian…It's a ridiculous thing to say, isn't it? Here, it's the Britannians who decide whose good or bad. Who decide who has…the right to live? Just what makes us so different? Just what is different! Between the people who live here and the people that live in the settlement! Between Elevens…no, between Japanese and Britannians! Why does one get to rule and the other to be ruled over?"

I found Kallen's anger much unexpected of her. However, I could understand her rage. She too seemed to be someone who knew of the Japan in those days.

"Kallen…"

"Ah…I-I'm sorry. I've said something unpleasant didn't I?"

"I think you're kind Kallen."

"Eh…?"

I turned around and began talking to Kallen as I walked a short distance away.

"That different viewpoint, it makes you sympathize with the feelings of those who are weak and helpless, and makes you angry for them."

I then turned my head towards her.

"I think…that's an indication of true kindness."

"Ah…Well, thank you for saying that. I-I'm sorry to ask this, but about this matter in regards to everyone in the student council and at school…"

"Don't worry, it's a secret."

"Thank you…"

"So, have you calmed down?"

"Yes…"

"How about we go back and get something to eat?"

"Sure."

We then headed on towards the settlement park and got some ice cream at an ice cream stand. We were then walking around the park happily eating our ice cream until Kallen stopped and began staring at something with a saddened face.

"Huh…Kallen, what are you looking at?"

I turned to where she was looking at and saw three guys beating up a stand worker.

"Kallen…is that guy a…"

"Yes, he is an Honorary Britannian, or rather, a Japanese who swore his loyalty to Britannia. This is what I was talking about earlier. It didn't matter that he decided to accept Britannia's rule, he still gets treated like dirt around them. If only I was able to help him out somehow."

I could understand Kallen's need to help that man and I also wished that I could do something. But I knew that if we did something to save that guy he wouldn't be able to sell anything for the rest of the week. The three guys who were beating the man up noticed us watching them and began walking over to where we were standing.

"Hey, you guys have a problem over there?" One of them spoke out.

"Not feeling sorry for this Eleven now are you?" Another member said.

"Nah, I bet they feel the same way we do, don't you?" The third guy proclaimed.

"Not quite." I bluntly said.

"What was that…You Ashford punk!"

The gang member then formed a fist and aimed it at me. Oh great, now I made them mad. What I am going to do? Use that power called Geass? No, I can't use that here. Because my Geass works on everyone who happens to hear me, if I use it now, Kallen will also be under its effects. So, what should I do? The fist was about to ram into my face, but then, without even me noticing, I dropped my ice cream cone and caught his fist with just my right hand. The next moment I picked him up with my other hand and tossed him over my shoulders. He landed flat face down on the ground. The other two guys were surprised and then one of them charged towards me and started to swing his fists at me. I dodged all the punches he threw at me and gave him my own punch to his face. Then I spun around and gave him a roundhouse kick to his back which caused him to fall on top on the other guy lying on the ground. After that I turned back to the last guy still standing who looked like his was ticked off at what happened. I then decided to call out to him.

"Sorry, but I had no choice but to defend myself there. I suggest that you and your friends leave here at once to prevent any more trouble."

"Tch…fine, you win this time but I won't forget your face you silver haired freak."

He then started to walk away from us. The other two who were lying on the ground got up and chased after him. Once they all got together they turned their heads around and gave me a cold stare. Then they turned back and kept walking away. Once they disappeared from my sight Kallen walked to where I was standing.

"Rai, are you alright? You're not hurt are you?"

"I'm alright…They didn't even put a scratch on me. But, ever since I got here I feel like I'm just causing problems and making enemies out of people (mostly Britannians) who are not part of Student Council."

"Still, you kind of surprised me there. How were you able to fight like that?"

"I don't know. I kind of just…did it…that's all."

"You mean you remembered how to fight like that."

"I guess…"

(Outside Rai's POV)

As Rai said that Kallen began to think to herself about his current status.

"Okay so he understands the current situation between Britannia and Area 11. He doesn't seem to have a deep hatred against Japanese or Britannians. In fact, he seems to understand the pain the Japanese are experiencing. I also heard from school that he gets along pretty well with Suzaku Kururugi, a Japanese person. And I am technically half Japanese, but Rai doesn't know that. And the way he fights, even though it was self defense, it was similar to how a Japanese martial artist fights. Even though he hasn't learned any direct memories about himself, it seems he is learning more about himself through conflict and stress. If that's the case then…"

"Hey…Kallen…Kallen…"

"Huh…wha…What is it?"

"Are you okay? You were spacing out there and you kept staring at me with a stern look on your face."

This caused her face to turn red for a few seconds.

"Wha…I was just thinking…wouldn't you be able to remember more about yourself in a more serious atmosphere?"

"Huh…you think so?"

"Well before you said you wanted to see the ghettos yourself. Isn't that connected to your memories?"

"A small possibility, more like a maybe though."

"Then tomorrow, instead of just looking, would you like to actually walk through it…Through Shinjuku ghetto?"

"Huh…I-I guess I'm okay with that. But will you be able to handle it though? I mean, in your condition…"

"Don't worry about me. I'll be fine."

"Well in that case I guess I'll go."

"Then it's decided. After school is finished tomorrow we'll meet at the ghetto's park and go from there."

(Back to Rai's POV)

After it was decided that we would go to Shinjuku Ghetto tomorrow Kallen went on home. I also decided to head on back to my place as well. I thought it was kind of strange that Kallen would want to go to a rundown place such as the ghettos. But I guess that she only wanted to go there just to see if something triggers the return of my memories. The next day after classes and my duties for student council was finished I headed on out to the meeting point. I just hope that Milly and others won't find out that I took a girl like Kallen out to the ghettos just to find clues to my memories. Once I met up with Kallen we set foot into the ghetto. As I thought, just looking down from the settlement wasn't enough to get a true look at reality here. We both walked slowly. Kallen seem to be walking with heavy footsteps.

"So?" Kallen suddenly called out.

"Huh…"

"What do you think?"

As I tried to think of some words to say, I swallowed deeply. It was terrible, that much was certain. These ruins we had come to had, of course, stopped from being rebuilt after the destruction. With no other place to go and having been refused to enter the settlement, the people here squirm about just to get by in their daily lives. Eleven…Having had the name of Japan taking from them, the land and the people were now poor and miserable. Kallen glanced at me several times as we walked to confirm my reaction.

"Well…everything looks terrible…"

I finally squeezed out those words to answer Kallen. What else could I say?

"Yes, it is. This is the way of Britannia. This is what they do."

Kallen seemed to shake with exceptional feelings when it came to the current state of the Elevens. Many Britannians looked down on the Elevens. That was the ruler's perspective. Sometimes, there were some who said they were sympathetic and gave out charity. Kallen was different from both of those.

"The victors steal from the defeated. They steal from them, trample on them, and continue to torment them like it's a matter of course. It's too cruel…"

"…You're right. You're absolutely right."

We came to a halt. I gazed at the once prosperous buildings now deprived of life, and at all the feeble mannered people who came in and out of them. I looked around at my surroundings. Then out of nowhere something began flashing in my mind. I began seeing an image of buildings burning and falling into ruins. Once I could see clearly I looked around again at the scene of ruins which stretched out around me.

"W-What…this place…"

I suddenly started to crouch down.

"What is it?" Kallen said as she came to my side.

"For some reason, I feel like I've seen something like this before…"

"You recognize something?"

"I don't know. I'm not certain, but…could this be called feeling nostalgic…?"

"Nostalgic…Really?"

"Yeah, that's what I feel, for some reason or another?"

"It might be that you had been here or some other ghetto in the past."

"If that's true, then am I an Eleven…a Japanese?"

"I think there's a possibility of that."

Something about that didn't feel quite right. The place I just envisioned didn't look like a ghetto to me. As for me being a Japanese…Before I could continue thinking I noticed Kallen forming a smile on her face and called out to her.

"What is it?"

"Eh…What do you mean?"

"Just now, you seemed happy, somehow."

"R-Really…H-How so?"

"…Does the idea of me being Japanese make you…happy?"

This caused Kallen's face to glow red.

"I don't particularly care about that…It was just because you had remembered something. I after all have been keeping you company like this for your sake, haven't I?"

"Is that so…"

"Yes, exactly."

"That's…Thank you…"

"You're welcome."

We began walking once more but before we got far the ground suddenly shook. On the other side of the ruins, dark red smoke was rising from several of the streets. It appears it was caused by an explosion.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	5. Chapter 5

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 5: The Discovery of an Ace Pilot

There was an explosion not far from where we were standing. On the other side of the ruins, dark red smoke was rising from several parts of the streets.

"What was that?" Kallen said out loud.

"I don't know…" I responded back.

Not too long after the explosion we heard a voice reverberate through a loudspeaker.

_"We are the Order of the Black Knights! This is the flames of resistance opposing Britannia's rule! We will raise our fists against them! We will keep dying our fists with Britannia's blood, until the day when the deep red flag of the rising sun flies again!"_

I then saw the forms of several Knightmare units as the smoke began to dissipate. While they looked like Glasgow models these were actually Burai, a Glasgow remodeled by the Japanese and used by Anti-Britannian Terrorists. The loudspeaker seemed to be attached to one of those units. In the vicinity of the Burai units, there were also people carrying guns in their hand. Both they and the ordinary citizens were indistinguishable from each other in appearance.

"What are they talking about…?" Kallen said out loud.

"Stand up you who call yourselves Japanese…Do not be afraid of sacrifice! Attack your oppressors together with us, the Black Knights! Kill the Britannians!"

The group calling themselves the Black Knights seemed to be attacking a Britannian patrol unit, but they were clearly involving the nearby citizens as well. Rubble from the ruins had collapsed and fallen onto the streets because of the explosion, crushing anybody who happened to be beneath it. I saw the Burais being unmindful of the nearby citizens as they were sent flying from the machine's movements.

"Those guys aren't the Black Knights! The Black Knights are allies of the weak! They wouldn't indiscriminately involve either Britannians or Japanese! They would never do that!" Kallen began screaming out.

"Really?"

"Yeah, most likely, these people are a small organization trying to take advantage of the fame from the Black Knights' activities. These guys probably haven't accomplished any real results themselves. They're just terrorists!"

"You seem to know an awful lot about this stuff…"

"I-I guess…When you watch various news stations and listen to the word that goes on in school, you come to know the fine details of these kinds of things.

It didn't seem like we had time to talk freely though. The Burais were being attacked by Britannian Knightmares which had just appeared in the area. It seemed like the police and the army were operating here as partners against the enemy. I saw Sutherlands as well as the Knightpolice Frames, Glasgows remodeled for the Britannian Police Force. In fact, the military frames seemed to make up the majority of them. Sensing the danger that was about to come, I knew we have to move somewhere safe.

"It's dangerous here. We have to get out of here."

"You're right…Let's go take refuge somewhere."

Without caring about their surroundings, the Britannian army began firing at the terrorists. Likewise, the terrorists fired back. But it wasn't before long that the terrorists were encircled by the Britannian army as they threw out their fighting power. There were citizens who were running about trying to escape that also got caught in the encirclement. A Britannian soldier suddenly called out to his comrades.

"There's a high chance that the terrorists will try to mix in and disappear among the citizens. Do not let a single Eleven escape from within the encirclement. I repeat, do not let a single one escape. Kill them all!"

"Roger, we won't let any one of these animals get free." Another soldier replied.

The Britannian soldiers began shooting the Japanese civilians with their Sutherlands. Broken pieces of concrete and asphalt…Their blood being sprayed everywhere. I could only stand there with horror on my face as I watched the Japanese scream in agony as they were killed. The terrorists, and the Britannian soldiers…Why…Why are they killing innocent civilians? Why did this have to happen?

"That's too cruel!" Kallen said in a saddened tone.

"We have to get away now! We'll get dragged in if we stay any longer!"

But it was already too late. At that moment, one of the Burai which had tried to escape from within the encirclement in desperation came crashing towards us. A stray bullet blew up a nearby abandoned building. At the same time, the Burai fell backwards as its head was shot off. Its huge back drew near us. Not wanting to see Kallen get hurt, I immediately grabbed and shielded her as I turned my back towards the Burai. When I looked back, I immediately saw the turned over body of the Burai before me. Having falling after the impact, the cockpit's hatch was open. The middle aged man who was piloting it panicked as he quickly got out of the cockpit, and then ran away as fast as he could while leaving the Burai as it was.

"Hey, are you alright!? You didn't get hurt anywhere, did you!?" Kallen said as she looked at me with a worried look.

"Hn…Yeah, I'm fine."

Fortunately for me, only the back of my clothes had gotten torn up. Every other part of my body just had dirt spots.

"Really, that was so reckless of you…"

"Well, at least you're unharmed."

The Burai before us, with the exception of its damaged head, seemed to still be capable of moving. Kallen ran over to it and peeked into the cockpit.

"He left the key in. (I could probably operate this knightmare and get us out of here easily. The only problem though is how I would explain this to Rai. If only I didn't have to pretend to act so sickly around him I…)

"Can you move it?" I asked as I walked over to her and disrupt her thoughts.

"Eh, ah, umm, I don't think it's possible for me to do something like operate the cockpit of a knightmare."

"Hmm…"

I began to look around the inside of the cockpit. When I looked inside I immediately understood the whole structure of the cockpit. The left and right joysticks, the foot pedals, and the output gauge for the weapon options. I could understand the meaning of all the parts and instruments.

"Well then…Here we go."

Without even me knowing I was suddenly sitting in the cockpit seat and getting ready to start the machine back up.

"Here we go, you say…Ah…!"

I seized Kallen by the hand and made her board the cockpit. Since the inside seat was narrow, I naturally adjusted my posture so that she could lean on my body.

"Seems like the hatch can't close. I'll have to go by visually controlling it as it is. Hang on tight. I'll get us out of here."

"Uh, sure… (Rai knows how to operate a Knightmare…?)"

I turned my neck as my body was wrapped around by the strength of Kallen's arms. To start with, I fired a Slash Harken into a nearby wall, then extracted it and quickly rearranged it. The Sutherland that had been running after this Burai before immediately began approaching us as he saw this. Excited at seeing a frame which should have been knocked down get back up, the Sutherland got ready and charge forward with its lance. It was a simple and stupid move which relied only on its momentum. If I had to guess, this guy was a novice and was using a knightmare frame for the first time. Even though I was using a damaged Burai and had no weapons, I was able to easily dodge that lance and then use my fists to knock the lance out of his hands. The Sutherland was agitated from that attack and then pulled out its assault rifle. While my frame reeled back from my last move, I simultaneously smashed my right hand into his head. The impact caused the Sutherland to look up towards the heavens as it slowly collapsed and fell back. Knowing that he was defeated the pilot ejected from the cockpit, leaving the frame behind.

"Alright…I did it."

"_He did it. He managed to defeat a Sutherland with a damaged Burai. Rai, who on Earth are you…?"_ Kallen thought to herself.

"This entire area is going to collapse soon. We should escape before reinforcements come."

"Y-Yeah, you're right…"

It was a dangerous plan, but we have no choice. The Britannian army was tightening its encirclement and they had a high density of fighting power. Looking back down at the Sutherland I defeated, I decided to have my Burai pick up the lance and rifle my adversary was using and use them for myself. Once I had my weapons equipped I had my Burai take off. It wasn't long before I noticed two more knightmares ahead. There were two Sutherlands. They didn't seem to notice us yet so I moved my knightmare behind some fallen debris and take a moment to think of a plan.

"Rai, what is it? Are there more Britannian soldiers coming?"

"Yeah, there are two Sutherlands heading our way. I'm going to have to take them out before we can proceed."

"I see…"

I then took a moment to analysis and think of my next course of action. Let's see…my opponents now are two Sutherlands equipped with only assault rifles. My current weapons are a lance, an assault rifle, and two slash harkens. The best thing to do is wait for them to come by, ambush them, and take them out as swiftly as possible.

Okay, time to move into action. The Sutherlands were then passing by our location when I suddenly got out of my hiding location and with the lance in my right hand, stabbed the Sutherland that was closest to my position. I was able to get a direct hit on his frame. The pilot ejected from his knightmare as his machine blew up. The other Sutherland, now realizing my presence, got his rifle prepared and was ready to fire it. Before he could though, I fired my Slash Harkens and knocked the gun out of his hand and proceeded to fire my own rifle at him. After taking several hits the pilot decided to get out of there and ejected as well. Kallen was simply stunned at what I accomplished so far.

"_He took out two more Sutherlands. How is he able to operate an outdated knightmare so well?"_

As I continued on my way I noticed a group of Sutherlands gathering one by one, surrounding a group of terrorist and trapping them in an encirclement. They then start shooting at them. No, they were just slaughtering them arbitrarily. As I watched them getting killed off I thought they were getting what they deserved. After all, they tried to pick a fight with the Britannian military and got several innocent people killed. All the Burais were destroyed one by one. And then…Some of the enemy advanced over here. There were three Sutherlands now and had me trapped inside a triangle formation. They got their rifles out and were ready to gun us down.

"Rai, what are we going to do?" Kallen asked me.

Sweat started to come down my face. Oh no, how am I going to get out of this one. Even if I try to fight back, I would only be able to defeat one of them before the other two kill me. Should I surrender and say I'm an Ashford student, I am wearing my damaged uniform still. No, that won't work, knowing the Britannian military, they would shoot me anyway without asking questions just for being in the battlefield. Is that it, am I really going to die here, before I remember anything about my true self? And Kallen; is she going to die as well? If only I said we shouldn't have come here…then…

"Rai…look."

"Huh…?"

I looked up and saw that the three Sutherlands suddenly exploded. Behind the flames of the explosion, there were several Burais…terrorist reinforcements? However, the new troops ran through not only the surrounding Britannian army, but also the Burais the terrorists are using within the destroyed ruins. I noticed that not only did these new Burais have a slightly different color scheme but there seemed to be some kind of purpose in their attacking direction and expansion. Huh, they're trying to let the citizens escape? They were attacking and eliminating both the army and the terrorists, while at the same time they also seemed to be leading the citizens who couldn't escape the encirclement towards an escape route.

"It's the Black Knights!" Kallen screamed in joy.

"What…?"

"These guys are the real Black Knights. There's no mistaken it!"

Before Kallen got to finish her words however the Black Knight's Burais surrounded our own Burai on all four sides. That was understandable. This Burai had been abandoned by a terrorist before I had boarded myself. Their rifles were aimed at us and could fire any second now. Kallen twisted her body, stuck herself out of the open hatch and stood on the knightmare's shoulders.

"Hey…Kallen, come back."

As I was trying to get her back in, I saw the surrounding Burais show some movement. They weren't going to attack? Simultaneously lowering all their muzzles, they moved in order to make way for us. Kallen then came back to the cockpit.

"I said we weren't terrorists, and I think they understood."

Putting aside Kallen's words, they seem to be letting us out of here. In that case, there's no need to hesitate from escaping from this dangerous place. I immediately left the area at full speed. A few hours later we arrived safely at the borderline between the ghettos and the settlement.

"That was more than enough for today. I think I'll go home now…" Kallen weakly said as she was out of breath from running.

"…Yeah." I answered back.

After abandoning the Burai near the settlement and passing the crowds of the curiously eyed people looking at us, Kallen and I headed home. When I got back to Ashford Academy the sun was starting to go down. As I was walking around, I heard the sounds of a girl's voice and a cat's meow. I turned my head to where the voice was coming from and saw a green haired girl wearing a school uniform sitting on a bench with a cat.

"Come on, take my hand."

The cat meowed and put its paw on the girl's hand. The cat's name was Arthur and he belongs to this school. I think I saw the girl with green hair somewhere before but I couldn't exactly remember where.

"Well done…Next, try to grab here. Can you reach this height?"

The girl lifted her hand higher and while the cat tried to grab her hand, it couldn't reach.

"What, how loose. I make it just a little harder for you and you're already unable to reach it anymore?"

The cat then tried again and was able to reach this time.

"That's right…It's possible when you try right?"

That was a very pompous way of talking to a cat. Yet, contrary to that, the girl's expression looked quite gentle and kind. The girl then started to laugh.

"Unlike a certain someone I know you have great motivation. It's also easy to understand what you're saying. It's really different for those who don't have the ability to eat pizza. Really, it's…Hmm?"

Finally noticing me after having spoken to the cat for a long time, the girl slowly looked up. She showed no surprise on her face as I approached, simply staring at me silently. Conversely, I flinched as the light of her eyes stared in my direction.

"Who are you? I don't remember seeing you at this school before." I called out to her.

"For your first meeting with someone, that's a surprising way for you to talk."

The girl's tone towards me was quite different than it had been towards the cat.

"I apologize for that. I'm Rai, a student here."

"I already know about you. You're the boy with amnesia, right?"

"…How do you know that?"

Because of her unexpected words, I gave the girl a searching look. Staring right back at me, the girl gave what seemed to be a sarcastic smile.

"Who knows, perhaps I heard it from someone, or maybe I just happen to know everything about you from the beginning?"

"Huh…Wait, do you know me…Do you know about my past?"

"I have to say this is our first time meeting like this…Don't be so cautious. You have an anxious look on your face right now."

After adding in that bit of teasing, the girl gave a soft smile. Her expression was the same as the one she gave to the cat before.

"Well, I suppose I might as well tell you. My name is C.C."

What, is that her initials are something?

"We might meet each other again one of these days…Take care of my cat friend for me."

Right after she said that, she lifted and handed me the cat, and then turned her back on me as she headed for the gates of the academy.

"Wait, where are you going?"

"To get me some pizza."

She then left the school grounds and disappeared.

"Pizza…Who on Earth is that girl?"

As I murmured that to myself, the cat I held in my arms shook its head as if to say it didn't know as it meowed. I then decided to head for the clubhouse. When I entered I put the cat down which then ran off. After that I suddenly heard someone scream.

"Rai, what happened to you!?"

I turned to where the noise was coming from and saw Milly running down from the hallway.

"What happened to you? Why do you look so beat up and why is there a big tear on the back of your uniform? Did Kallen get mad at you or something?"

"No, it's not like that. I just…got in an accident today…that's all."

"An accident…What kind of accident?"

"I…rather not say."

I didn't want to tell her about what happened today.

"Even if you don't tell me right now, I'll find out sooner or later you know. Well, I guess I'll have to get you a new school uniform now. Just wait here, I'll be back with a new uniform for you to wear."

Milly then left the clubhouse to get a uniform to replace my torn up one. After several minutes of waiting she finally returned with a new spotless uniform.

"Here you go…your new uniform."

"…Thanks."

"You only been here for about a week and you already had to get a new uniform. Try to be more careful when you go out to the settlement. It can get dangerous out there sometimes. I definitely don't want to see you get hurt."

"Okay, I'll try to be more cautious of my surroundings from now on."

"Heehee…And you'll have to be especially more vigilant when you're walking around with Kallen. She may be in charge of helping you but you'll have to keep her out of harm's way as well. You two are very close to each other now aren't you?"

"We're not that close to each other."

"Huh…I thought you two would be paired together by now. Well, I guess the two of you will have to spend a little more time with each other before it happens then."

Before what happens? I didn't want hear anymore about this subject. I had to think of something to say to get away from her.

"Sorry Milly, but I feel really worn out today. I need to take a rest in my room."

"Oh, well go on ahead then. But you better watch out because tomorrow I'll have plenty of work for you to do for student council."

Milly then left the clubhouse. I went on back to my room and decided to put everything that happened today behind me, take a shower, and then go to bed. The next morning I was heading for the school building when I ran into Kallen.

"Good morning Rai."

"…Good morning Kallen."

There was then a moment of silence between us until Kallen started to speak again.

"Can we talk little later on the rooftop?"

"…Uh, sure."

After my first class I went up to the rooftop to talk to Kallen. When I got up there, she was already present.

"There was something I want to ask you."

I could pretty much guess what she wanted to ask.

"That knightmare from before, how did you manage to ride it easily as if it was a car or bike? That looked like something only someone from the military could do."

"I wonder about that."

That was a good question. A person who knows nothing suddenly knew how to operate a machine like that. Why, even I would like to know the answer to that.

"I don't know why, but somehow, I just knew how to operate it."

"You remembered how, just like when you fought those guys in the park the other day."

"I guess…As soon as I boarded it at that moment, I naturally operated it. I just knew it like I know other everyday knowledge."

"I see…"

"What do you think…Have you noticed anything about my true character?"

"Well, the possibility that you were a soldier is certainly high."

"A soldier, huh…?"

"Well, you have good fighting skills as you demonstrated the other day. Also, you managed to operate that Burai quite well. The Burai is a Japanese made knightmare. It could be that you were in some kind of resistance cell."

"So you're saying I'm a Japanese who was part of an anti-Britannian terrorist organization. If that's true, then I'm far too dangerous to remain in this school."

"It's only maybe, you know. It's nothing more than a hypothesis."

"I would still like to know the truth though…"

"I know…Still, the number of clues has increased. Shouldn't you be happy about that?"

"…I suppose you're right. But, even so…You seemed to know an awful lot about knightmares."

"I'm aware that it's a strange hobby for a girl to have. So…please don't tell anyone about this."

"Sure, I won't tell anyone…"

And with that we both headed to our next class. When it was time for lunch we both went to the cafeteria together.

"It's more crowded…than usual." Kallen commented.

"Yeah…you're right."

There was a commotion in the cafeteria during lunch break. That in itself was a normal sight. However, it seemed a little different than usual today. Stares and words were being aimed my way. And not just me, but also Kallen who was with me.

"Hello there, oh respectful couple." I heard Rivalz's voice call out.

"Hi." Lelouch said.

Lelouch and Rivalz appeared before us.

"What a minute, respectful couple…? Stop saying such things, before…" Kallen sputtered out.

"What are you saying, oh respectful couple? Word has already reached my ears of how well things are going between you two!" Rivalz said in a teasing manner.

"And what exactly have you heard?" I called out.

"You know the terrorist incident that happened in Shinjuku ghetto yesterday. The Black Knights also appeared there, apparently."

"Oh…I see."

"The boy Rai, who lost his memories, and also the lovely young lady Kallen, who even went as far as to go together with him to such a dangerous ghetto! And then the terrorist organization that appeared there! The couple got involved in the battle as the Britannian army came to suppress the rebels and their situation grew desperate! The man shielded the woman by covering her with his own body! I will protect Kallen! The couple then ran through the flames to escape!"

Lelouch, Kallen, and I all gave a heavy sigh at Rivalz's made up story.

"…So, was that how the story went?"

I see…That seems to be the reason why all eyes and commotion are directed at us. It's no wonder we caught someone's attention, considering our state when we got back. That information would have been transmitted and spread all throughout the school.

"Isn't that just an exaggeration…? That gossip has so many embellishments attached to it." Kallen said.

"But, isn't it a fact that he saved you? That a weak, frail girl like you Kallen could safely escape from there is proof of that."

"That's true, but…"

Lelouch then began to step in.

"You helped save an important classmate of ours. That's an act that most certainly deserves gratitude. Rai, thank you."

"Lelouch…" Kallen said.

"It's being talked about all over the school. The young lady Kallen and her wonderful knight!"

"Enough already…of being so pleased with that story…"

"There are quite a lot of other boys aiming at Kallen too. But, with the appearance of her loving knight on the stage, they've all become dejected and downhearted one after another."

"Enough…stop it already…"

"So, were you really there? How were you able to pass through a battle like that?"

We were faced with the brunt of Rivalz' attack. Indeed, there was no way we could tell the truth. What could we say?

"Come on, tell me. Did you use great seasoned cleverness, or did you find some kind of unexpected power hidden inside when faced with the scene of fire? Also, has the newspaper club already jumped at you for material on this?!"

"That's enough already. It's true that he saved back then. Isn't that enough?"

It was only a little, but I could feel the anger in Kallen's voice. It seems like she had been offended somehow. Or was she just pretending? I couldn't tell.

"Yikes, are you in a bad mood?"

"If I said I don't like noisy people who poke their noses into things, wouldn't you be embarrassed from people around you saying that kind of thing?"

"Eh, well…Yeah…But even so, I'd still like to know. Right, Lelouch?"

"Kallen is right. When it comes to stand-alone rumors like this, you shouldn't trouble the person it's about."

"Huh, could it be I'm the guy unable to pick up on the mood…? I feel so down now."

"Also, you're wasting our lunchtime talking about this. We have to get something to eat as well."

Saying this, he tapped Rivalz's shoulder as he left us to go eat. And also, the eyes of all those who had listened to our conversation seemed to have drifted away from us somewhat. We were finally able to have some peace as we ate our lunch. Kallen began to speak to me as we ate our lunch together.

"Hey, if only this much annoys you, even if someone you recognize appears, you won't look so good to them, right?"

"Do you really think that?"

"But, there might be such a person in the settlement…If it turns out that you're not from the settlement…you really might be Japanese…"

"…I have been constantly wondering about that."

Even though she's Britannian, Kallen seemed to be fixated on the Japanese. Does she really think it would be better for me to be Japanese? It seemed as if Kallen was trying to hide a part of herself from everyone.

After school was finished for the day I began to wonder what I was going to do. Kallen said she wasn't going to be available after school today because she had to go attend to her personal business once again. I was about to head out of the classroom until Shirley stopped me from leaving in a loud voice.

"Ah, wait a minute! Please wait before you go!"

"Do you need me for something?"

"Yes, I have some work from student council for you to do."

"What kind of work is it?" I was expecting it to be paperwork since that's what Milly usually has me doing.

"I need to buy some equipment for the swimming club, but since the gear is large and heavy, I need you, Suzaku, and Rivalz to come with me to the shopping mall and carry the stuff back to school for me.

"Well, I don't have anything better to do right so yeah, I'll help."

"Really, thank goodness. I was afraid you would say no. Alright, let's get going then. Rivalz and Suzaku should already be waiting for us in front of the school gate."

"Hey, wait a minute…shouldn't Lelouch be helping us too?"

"Well, I wanted to ask Lulu to come but he just got up and left before I had a chance to talk with him. But I guess it doesn't really matter since Lulu isn't useful when it comes to lifting things and doing physical labor."

"Oh I see…"

Shirley and I then proceeded to head out to join Suzaku and Rivalz in front of the school gates. Once we all got together we then headed for the downtown mall.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	6. Chapter 6

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 6: Gaining One's Interests

Once Shirley and I exited the school building we went towards the school entrance to meet up with Suzaku and Rivalz.

"Hey guys, I finally got Rai to come with us. I hope we didn't keep you two waiting." Shirley cheerfully said.

"Not at all, I just got done fixing me bike actually, with a little help from Suzaku." Rivalz commented.

"Well now that we are all together we better get going before it starts to get dark outside. My swimming coach is probably already down there with her van waiting for us to load that equipment." Shirley noted.

The four of us then proceeded to head on down to the shopping mall with Shirley leading us. Once we got to the shopping mall Shirley was easily advancing within the crowd trying to find the sports store. The rest of us had to speed up a little in order to keep up with her. Once we located the store we went inside and Shirley went up to the clerk. She said who she was and asked for her order. The clerk then pointed at nine boxes lying on the other side of the store with a note on each of the boxes that said "Reserved for the Ashford swimming club." Shirley then thanked the clerk and went back over to where we were standing.

"Okay guys, the stuff is already paid for. Now we just have to carry these boxes over to the coach's van. Those boxes are heavy so carry them one at a time. We can make two extra trips back here to take the rest. I'll lead you guys over to where the van is. Let's go!"

Suzaku, Rivalz, and I then went over to the boxes and each of us picked one up. Rivalz seemed to have a little trouble lifting the box at first but eventually got a hold of it.

"Man, these boxes sure are heavy. What is in these things anyways?" Rivalz said out loud.

"Well, they do seem to be a little heavy." I replied as I lifted a box.

"What are you guys talking about? They're not that heavy." Suzaku said as he easily lifted the box.

"That's easy for you to say! You're a military soldier, so things like this are simple for you to do!" Rivalz remarked.

"Come on guys, step it up! We don't have all evening to goof around." Shirley yelled as she marched out of the store. We then followed her out of the mall as she led us to a van.

"You boys can place those boxes in the back of the van." The swimming coach said as she opened the back entrance of the vehicle. We each placed our box in the back of the vehicle and went back to the store to get the rest of the boxes. After two more trips all the boxes were inside the van. The last three boxes had to be placed in the back seats though.

"Good work boys, I'll have this van parked in front of the building where the swimming pool is. Then you guys can carry the boxes inside that building. I'm expecting you all to be back soon so don't dawdle." The coach said as she drove away.

"What, we have to drag those boxes around some more!?" Rivalz said surprised.

"Hey, where did Shirley go?" Suzaku said looking around.

Rivalz and I also looked around but couldn't see her anywhere. Now that I think about it, Shirley did seem to disappear on our last trip to the sports shop.

"She might still be in the mall somewhere. We should look in there first." I suggested.

"Right, we have to find her quickly and then head on back to the academy to finish our duties." Suzaku said as the three of us went into the mall once more. The three of us decided to split up as we search for Shirley. As I walked around the mall I eventually saw her standing in front of a clothing store looking at some clothes that were being showcased. Upon closer inspection I noticed the item displayed in the shop window was a pure white wedding dress. Shirley looked at the beautiful embroidery, form and décor with shining eyes. Eventually, after having stared in to shop window with such intense concentration, Shirley noticed that I was standing next to her.

"I'm sorry I disappeared like that. While we were going back and forth in the mall I saw this wedding dress in the window and I wanted to look at it. And as I looked at it…it reminded me of something from my childhood. I always used to say to my father, 'When I get big, I'll be papa's bride'. Even though I didn't really understand the concept of marriage, I longed to wear a white dress like this…"

As I listened to her in silence, Shirley blushed as she suddenly came to her senses, and looked to the side in embarrassment.

"Ah, sorry! You don't know what I'm talking about, I just suddenly started to reminiscence, and I…"

She was so embarrassed from unconsciously speaking out to me that her cheeks were dyed red.

"No, for a girl, aren't such feelings natural? Wasn't it a precious memory for you?"

"Enough already…"

"There's nothing to be embarrassed about. Reminiscence, I can only wonder what that is like."

"…Thank you for understanding." Shirley said as she laughed.

"We better get going. There's still some work left to do."

"Ah, that's true. We have to hurry up and get those boxes to the coach's office!"

Shirley and I then regrouped with Suzaku and Rivalz and the four of us headed back to Ashford Academy. Once we got back Suzaku, Rivalz, and I started to carry the boxes from the van to the coach's office.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Meanwhile, as the three boys were doing their work, in the underground tunnels of Shinjuku Ghettos, Kallen Stadtfeld, who was wearing a Black Knights uniform, was in the middle of what she says is "Personal Business" to Rai. In reality, she is actually a member of the Black Knights. Right now she is about to give her report to Zero, the leader of the Black Knights, about yesterday's incident in Shinjuku Ghetto.

"I heard about the case in Shinjuku ghetto. The important thing is that you were unharmed." The figure named Zero said.

"Yes well, the truth is, I have something to report." Kallen said.

"I'm listening."

"At the time, I was there with a male student from my school…"

"You mean Rai?" Zero said as if he already knew who it was which surprised Kallen.

"You know about him?!"

"He seems to be a very interesting person…This mysterious amnesiac man."

"Yes, this person, Rai, he handled a knightmare quite skillfully."

Zero was surprised when he heard this.

"You really think he's talented?"

"He was able to take down three Sutherlands with just a Burai. The skills he showed using only visual control is especially noteworthy."

"Then, it wasn't you who piloted that Burai and broke through the Britannian army's encirclement that time…"

"Correct, it was him."

"That's…surprising…Very interesting."

"Yes, if we could get him to become our ally, I think he would become a strong part of our fighting force."

"Hmm…Lets collect some more information before making any judgments. Make sure you continue to keep an eye on him as well."

"Understood."

Kallen then walked out of the room.

"Okay Rai…Maybe there is something interesting about you after all. You caught my interest." Zero said as he muttered to himself. He then headed back to his office.

(Back to Rai's POV)

The next morning, as I was heading to class, I was talking to Suzaku in the courtyard.

"So, how have you been doing lately?"

"Well, I haven't had any particular problems."

"Are things going well with Kallen? Lately, I see the two of you together a lot."

"Are things going well…Just what do you mean by that?"

"Oh, sorry about that…There was no deeper meaning. She has a rather frail body you know, so it just looks like you're the one doing the escorting instead of her."

"Hmm…Yeah, there might be some truth to that."

"Keep at it!"

"Umm…Sure…" I wasn't quite sure what he meant by that last sentence.

Suzaku and I then went on to our classes. Once class was over I headed over to the cafeteria to get something to eat. I was eating alone until Kallen came up and sat down next to me.

"How is it? Does the food here suit your tastes?"

"The food tastes fine to me."

"I see…Oh, by the way…"

"Huh…?"

"Do you know how to use chopsticks?" Kallen said as she pulled out two chopsticks.

"Chop…sticks?"

"The style in the school and settlement is mainly Britannian, but originally this was Japan and chopsticks were used instead…"

"…I haven't really thought about it."

"We may be able to discover something about you by the difference in food culture…For example…Soba, sushi, tempura…Do any of these foods seem recognizable to you?"

"I'm…not too familiar with them."

"Then, how about sashimi or nimono…Oh, and curry or ramen…Or maybe anpan or taiyaki!?"

"Sorry…None of them remind me of anything."

"I see…In that case, should we have you try eating the real things soon? If it's okay with you, I can make some for you to try someday."

"I guess I'm fine with it…but are you okay with doing something like this?"

"Don't worry about it. It will take me a few days, but I'll have some Japanese food ready for you to try. This is all for your memories after all."

Once lunch was over I headed over to the clubhouse to see what was going on in the student council room. When I entered the student council room, I found Suzaku there, giving Arthur his food and Lelouch, who was looking at a magazine with a bored expression on his face.

"Hello Rai." Suzaku said when he saw me enter the room.

"What's going on here?" I asked him.

"I thought that Arthur was hungry, so I was giving him his food and…Oww!"

Suzaku yelled in pain as Arthur bit his finger. It seemed like he was biting without holding back.

"Arthur, that's bad!" Suzaku said to the cat.

"It doesn't look like that cat sees you as its owner." Lelouch said without taking his eyes off the magazine.

"But Arthur is the cat that I brought here."

"The person who feeds the cat most often is said to be the highest ranking person…At least from the cat's viewpoint anyways."

"Even I give him food often…Although, because I'm so busy lately with my work, I can't feed him every day."

"Then, maybe it's because Arthur is a male."

"Is that really the reason?"

"I wouldn't know. I'm not a cat."

Lelouch seemed to be one-sidedly teasing Suzaku, but I could feel the close relationship between these two. Were they able to talk like this together because they are best friends I wonder? I thought that as I watched those two talked. I then heard Shirley walk into the room.

"Oh, it's just you three today?"

"Well, I have to get back to the base. See you later Shirley."

Suzaku then got up and was ready to head out the door. Once he walked past me he nudged his head towards the door as if he was signaling me to leave the room as well. At first I didn't understand why he wanted me to leave but then it suddenly clicked in me. Oh I see, so that's what it is.

"Umm…yeah…I think Milly wanted me to do something for her. I'll be going as well."

I proceeded to leave the room as well.

"See you guys later!"

Shirley said as she waved to us.

(Outside Rai's POV)

She then turned towards Lelouch. Lelouch turned his eyes back to the magazine once Suzaku and Rai were out of his sight.

"So, Lulu…I was wondering…If you have time maybe we could…" Shirley's face was getting red as she struggled to talk to Lelouch.

"That was an interesting choice of words. Go back to base…he's implying that's where he belongs." Lelouch muttered harshly to himself.

(Back to Rai's POV)

After we walked out of the student council room, Suzaku closed the door.

"Sorry I had to get you to leave like that. I was trying to help Shirley there."

"No, it's fine."

"I do need to head on back to my workplace though. See you later Rai."

"Yeah…later."

When Suzaku left I began to wander around the clubhouse. I eventually decided to walk back outside when Lelouch came out as well.

"Huh…Lelouch? I thought you were with Shirley."

"Never mind about that…how is it? Do you think you've become familiar with the students of this school?"

"…I guess."

"After looking around here and there with Kallen, have you managed to learn anything? Kallen may be the person in charge of helping you, but I'm also a student council member, so please tell me if there's something. If you've found a clue, then perhaps I could look into it around here. As Milly said, all of us student council members are here to help you recover your memories."

Huh, that's strange, the guy hardly talked to me ever since I got here. But…Lelouch had a peculiar, one-of-a-kind atmosphere to him. On the surface, he seemed detached, but his manner of speaking and his conversational skills were top notch. Yet…It always felt like he had an impenetrable wall hidden inside himself that kept others out. I knew nothing about myself. That was a big obstacle for me, as I tried to accept others. I wouldn't say that we were similar but…I felt that there was also such a part inside Lelouch as well.

"You haven't had any difficulties living here, so you must have some memories left right?"

"Y-Yeah…"

"In that case, you might have lost your memories fairly recently, that's what I believe anyways. At least after the start of Britannia's rule here…"

"It would be natural to assume that I suppose."

"How much do you remember about the settlement?"

"…I have to say that I'm completely uninformed of its geography. However, when I was being guided by Kallen or Suzaku, I just knew exactly what everything we saw was."

"It seems you possess a lot of knowledge but no memories."

"That's what it seems like."

"What about Area 11?"

"It's the same thing, I just know. Although…"

"Although…?"

"I felt something like a trace of recognition when I saw the ruins of the ghettos the other day."

"I see…Then it could be that you're a person from the other side…That is, it could be that you're Japanese."

Kallen also suggested that I could be Japanese. Now Lelouch is saying the same thing. Could I really be…?

"Do have memories of Britannia as your home country?"

"…No, whether it be the settlement or the ghettos, or anything about Area 11, I've don't feel any memories or knowledge about any of them."

"How about the Chinese Federation or the EU? It could mean that you're from a foreign country."

"…I don't really know much about those countries."

"Then what about older things…From when you were a child or before the war with Britannia?"

"I…just don't remember."

"And yet, you don't have any problems with things concerning the present. That's very…How can I say it, there're a lot of inconsistencies between what you do and don't know."

"That's what it seems like."

Lelouch then looked down at his watch and seemed surprised at the time.

"Oops, look at the time. Well then, I better get going. I wouldn't want to be a hindrance to you."

"See you later then…I guess."

Lelouch then walked away. I recognized what Lelouch was trying to say. I understand the relationship between Japan and Britannia, and I also had the necessary knowledge needed to live here…But what about the information besides that? I had some knowledge about world affairs. But, it wasn't anything special. Yes…It was as if only the bare minimum of knowledge had been written down, like in a manual. What I really wanted though was my memories. But all I had was some very thin knowledge. However, if that was my only clue, all I can do is move forward with all the support everyone is giving me.

Later on that day, after I had that talk with Lelouch, I decided I was going to head on out to Shinjuku Ghetto again. Last time I went there I had some kind of vision of burning buildings. So maybe, if I looked around that place again, I might discover something else. I was about to head out of the school gateway when Kallen called out from behind me. I turned around and saw her walk towards me.

"Are you going out somewhere? I'll come along with you…it is my duty to help you find your memories after all."

"I'm sorry to say this but…I think I'll go out by myself today."

"Huh…why?" She said surprised.

After trying to think of a reason, I came up with an answer.

"Because…I want to try to do things on my own…Ever since I came here, all you guys took it upon yourselves to try to take care of me and solve my problem for me while I just went along with it. I need to have more confidence and try to help myself out more instead of relying on you guys."

"Rai…" Kallen softly said.

"Please excuse me."

The truth of the matter was that I didn't want to take her out to the ghettos again. Another incident like that terrorist attack the other day might occur and I didn't want Kallen to be put into danger like that again. I was just going to have to go alone this time and face danger myself, so that way no one I know will get hurt. That would be the last thing I would want to happen. I walked away from her and once I thought I was out of her view I started to sprint towards the ghettos.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Little did Rai know that Kallen was following a fair distance behind him out of his view, keeping track of where he was going.

"So Rai, where are you going that you don't want me to know about?"

She followed him all the way to the ghettos.

(Back to Rai's POV)

Once I was in the middle of the ghettos area I began to search around. Everywhere I looked though it was the same, if not worse, than the last time I came to this area. The place still looked like a big mess; broken glass all over the floor and roads, destroyed buildings crumbled and lying on top of each other, people living in poverty with their homes ruined. Nothing changed at all here. That terrorist attack the other day just made everything look worse. As I continued to walk around the place I stumbled across what looked like a memorial gravesite. Surrounding it were pictures of various families, all of them Elevens. Also around the gravesite were mementos of the families. Apparently the date of deaths for all these people was the day those terrorists attacked. I see, so that is what this place is for. To remember the people who lost their lives on that day. I then took a moment to pray for these people and put my hands together.

"I don't know any of you people and you probably don't know me, but I hope you all will find peace in the afterlife. I'm sure you all are happier where you're at now than when you were down here under Britannian's rule."

Once I was finished giving my respects to the departed, I heard someone yelling out. I turned to where the screaming was coming from and saw that it was a Britannian soldier doing the shouting. Upon closer inspection he was yelling in my direction, more specifically, he's yelling at me. What now? The Britannian soldier came running up to me with an angry expression on his face.

"You, you're a Britannian student aren't you? What are you doing out in a place like the ghettos? This area is still under investigation while we look for possible terrorist groups that could be hiding out here!"

"I haven't heard anything like that."

"It doesn't matter, orders are orders. Now that I found you out here, you seem pretty suspicious to me. I'm going to have to take you in to ask some questions."

Geez, what's with these Britannian soldiers? How should I get out of this one?

Without even being conscious of myself, I had a sudden surge of anger flow through me. The next thing I knew my right eye change colors from blue to dark purple with a bird sigil appearing in that eye as well.

"What was that?" The soldier yelled at me.

"Oh yeah, well why don't you just…"

"Wait, stop!"

Before I could finish my sentence there was another person who called out to us. It was another Britannian solider who came running up to us, except this soldier was more familiar to me. It was Suzaku who was running up to us. The bird sigil that was in my eye dissipated and my eye color changed back to its normal blue.

"Stop, don't hurt him. He's just a normal school student. I know him…we go to the same school together!"

The soldier then scowled at Suzaku as he defended me and try to give a legitimate reason for why I was here.

"Well, whatever…Just take that student back to that school of yours and keep him out of this place!"

"Yes sir!"

"You may be an Eleven, but you still got your duties as a Britannian solider."

The soldier then sneered at us for the last time as he turned around and walked away. Once he was out of our sight Suzaku turned towards me.

"So Rai, what are you doing out here anyways?"

"I was just…trying to look for some clues to my past…that's all."

"You were willing to come out to a hazardous place like this just to find clues to your memories? That's kind of a bold thing for you to do."

"Yeah…well…"

"Listen, I heard some rumors at school that you and Kallen went out to the ghettos once and got caught in the middle of a terrorist attack. Is that true though?"

Suzaku wanted to know if I came out here before. I wonder…should I really tell him what happened? Kallen told me not tell anyone about what happened to us that day. But, I had a feeling inside of me that said, unlike the other Britannian soldiers, I felt that I could trust Suzaku with the information I had. Yes, that's what I had to do right now…I had to trust Suzaku.

"Well…actually…what happened was…"

I told Suzaku everything that happened that day. I told him how Kallen and I went to the ghettos, how I had that vision, when the terrorists appeared and picked a fight with the Britannian military which resulted in the deaths of several Elevens, how the only way I could protect Kallen at the time was by making us board a knightmare and how I piloted it, and finally how the Black Knights came and saved us while they took out the military and the terrorists at the same time. Suzaku's face was saddened when I finished my story.

"I see…so that is what really happened. But, at least you two were about to get out unharmed."

"Yeah…"

"But Rai…did you really pilot a knightmare in that in that skirmish?"

"Yes, I did. And don't ask me how I knew how to pilot it because I don't really know myself. I just knew how to operate it at the time when I looked into the cockpit."

"In that case, it could mean that you are a Britannian soldier as well, just like me."

"Me…a Britannian solider? I didn't want to think of myself as one of them but it could be a possibility."

"Well, you being able to pilot a knightmare sure is surprising. I'm sure that piece of information is a big part of your past. Tell you what, I'll go look into the military personnel files to see if your name comes up somewhere. I know some good people in the military that will be able to look into that for you. They might be able to find your true identity."

"You really think so?"

"This might be your big chance to finally know who you are. We definitely need to look into this. Well look at the time, you really need to get on back to Ashford Academy."

Suzaku then escorted me back to Ashford Academy. He came with me so there wouldn't be any more misunderstandings with the military. I wonder if my name will come up anywhere on the military personnel list? Well, in any case, this was my big chance to finally learn something about myself. I'm not too big on relying on the military to help me out, but I was going to learn the secrets of my past no matter what.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Meanwhile, after Suzaku and Rai left the ghettos, Kallen, who had been watching and listening to everything in the shadows, parted from the area as well as she thought to herself.

"Rai, a Britannian soldier? That's impossible…He doesn't act like most of those Britannian soldiers. If anything, he is a Japanese who works with an anti-Britannian resistance cell, like I used to be before I joined the Black Knights. Whatever the case, I have to keep Rai away from Suzaku before he comes up with a weird idea like making Rai join the military or something like that. I'll have to prevent that from happening no matter what!"

Moving on to the next Stage...


	7. Chapter 7

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 7: Lelouch's Suspicions

The next day before classes were about to start I wanted to go up to the rooftop to get some fresh air. Milly had me doing paperwork for her all morning and I needed the wind to blow in my face and cool off. When I got up there I found someone was already there. Lelouch was there, standing idly at the handrail. Lelouch must have heard me coming because he turned and gave a simple wave at me.

"Oh, it's you…Hello."

"Hi…"

"Come over here and take a look." Lelouch said as he turned back around.

I came over to see what he wanted me to look at. First he made me look at the view of the orderly constructed settlement, and then the view of the ghettos which spread out beyond it.

"So, what do you think?" Lelouch asked.

"I wonder which side I belong to? Do I belong with the side of the rulers, or am I on the side of the ones being ruled over?"

"That's really a strange way to think about it. Whether you're a Britannian or whether you're an Eleven. But no matter who you are my attitude and the attitudes of the student council members who have connected with you won't change."

Those words, for someone like me, with no one to depend on, made me happy and feel more at ease.

"Lelouch…you…"

Lelouch responded to my words with a soft smile.

"Well, we better head off to our next class now. Let's go Rai."

"Uh…Sure…"

The two of us then left the rooftop and went downstairs to our next class. Lelouch went over to his usual seat by the window and I went to one of the back row seats. Before class actually began I was talking with Shirley and Rivalz. As I was talking with them I couldn't help but feel like someone was watching me. It wasn't like one of those cold stares I usually receive from the male students of this school. It was more like someone was keeping tabs on where I was at and what I was doing. I looked towards the front of the class and saw Kallen, who was sitting close towards the front row, had her mirror placed on top of the desk. I could tell the mirror was positioned to face in the direction of where I was sitting at. Was she…looking at me for some reason? I couldn't tell why. When she noticed I was looking in her direction she took her eyes off the mirror and faced forward. I could only wonder about what she was thinking about up there. At that moment the teacher finally showed up and started class. It was the same type of lecture that I hear every time I go to this class. Once class was finished the teacher got his stuff together and left. Some students also got up from their seats and went out the door as well.

At that time, Suzaku, who was given an assignment from Milly to carry some boxes from the auditorium to the clubhouse, came into the classroom to ask me for some help. Before he got anywhere close to me though Kallen, who was looking through her mirror, suddenly sprung out of her chair and quickly went to the back of the room where I was still sitting at and stood next to me.

"Hello Rai…I was wondering…you do have everything you need for class, right?"

"Huh…well yes, Milly already prepared it all for me."

Suzaku noticed that I was now talking with Kallen and didn't want to interrupt or be in the way so he just turned around and walked away with a smile on his face. Kallen turned her head around for a moment and saw Suzaku leaving. She then looked back at me.

"I see…How about the contents of the lesson? Are you able to follow through it all?"

"Since I can understand the words used, its fine as long as it's properly explained. But, I can't help but feel that I had already learned it in the past…"

"You think you've already learned it? In that case, maybe looking around various places might really help restore some of your memories after all."

"You know, I'm much obliged to you for helping me and all."

Her face started to turn red when she heard me say that.

"I-It's nothing…It's just because this is also part of my work for the student council, that's all."

"Oh yeah, that's right."

"So, where shall we go today, or are you going to go off by yourself again?" Her words sounded a little harsh on the last part.

"I don't really mind where I go today. We can go where ever you want to go."

"Even if you say it like that…"

Then out of nowhere Milly appeared looking all cheerful and excited.

"Oh my, what a good atmosphere we have going on here!"

"President, it's nothing like that!" Kallen said as her face got even redder.

"I get it, I get it. Leaving that aside, Kallen, I need you to help me with some work for the student council before going on your date after school."

"A date…?" I said in a confused manner.

"President, I just told you it's nothing like that!" Kallen said that as the slightly embarrassed expression as her face was starting to get as red as her hair.

"Alright, alright, I'll stop joking around, you two need to loosen up a bit. But I do need your help Kallen."

"I'll help too." I said as I offered to assist them.

"Sorry Rai, but we won't need your help. There are some things that only us women can do. So you're just going to have to be patient and wait for us to finish. Why don't you just go take a walk around the school or something?"

"Oh…well okay then…I guess."

"We'll go out together after I finish my work for student council today okay?" Kallen said.

Having said that Milly and Kallen left the classroom at a quick pace. Now that I was alone, I began to wonder what I could do to pass the time. After thinking about it for a short while, I got up and left the classroom. While I was moving around the courtyard, someone suddenly called out to me. It was Rivalz.

"Hey Rai…You're not with anyone today?"

"I'm just waiting for someone. But…why aren't you with Lelouch? You two always seem to be together."

"We're not always with each other all the time, you know."

"Well, it's the same with me too."

"Oh, did you just turn my own words against me? Your mouth goes around more than I thought it did."

"Huh…"

"When you meet with people, it's better if you talk more with them. If you express your ideas in words, it becomes easier for others to understand you."

"I see…I'll make sure to remember that."

After that we both parted ways with each other. Sometime later I encountered Shirley out in front of the clubhouse. Shirley seemed to be surprised to have come across me.

"Oh, are you the only one here today? There was nobody in the clubhouse besides Nuna and Sayoko."

Nuna is the nickname Shirley gave to Nunnally. Sayoko is a maid who works for the Ashford family.

"Well, I guess I'm the only one around." I replied.

"You're also by yourself today it seems."

"I'm just waiting for someone."

"You know, lately you've managed to blend in with the rest of the school, haven't you?"

"Oh really, is that so?"

"Yeah, you've been talking with various people in order to find the key to your memories right? And those encounters will also become a part of your memories. They will become your new memories."

"Really…"

"Yeah, let's all make some good memories together."

"Sure."

"Of course, well then, I'll be going now."

"See you later then Shirley."

Shirley then parted ways with me. Shirley always did seem to know what to say to lift people's spirits up. After walking around some more I found myself back in the courtyard. I grew tired of walking around the school by myself so I decided to go take a rest underneath the shades of a tree. I just laid my back against the tree and closed my eyes as a light breeze blew by. Everything felt peaceful on that sunny, cloudless, afternoon as I relaxed under the tree. An hour or so later I heard someone call out to me. I open my eyes and I saw Lelouch standing a few inches away from me with a smile on his face.

"Hey there Rai, did you have a nice nap there?"

"Hmm…Yeah."

Lelouch then offered to pull me up with his hand.

"So, I've been thinking and I have a question to ask you."

"Let's hear it."

"Have you managed to grasp the current state of affairs of Area 11 yet? Or, to put it another way, how do you see the relationship between Britannia and Japan?"

"What's the point of this question? You know, you sure have been talkative a lot to me lately?"

"Well…I was asking because I think it might somehow be connected to your memories…I believe one's thinking and mentality unconsciously reflects the source of one's personality after all."

"You really think so?"

"Well, under these circumstances, I think it would be best if you try out various methods. So, have you come up with an answer?"

After taken a moment to think about Lelouch's question, I came up with my answer.

"The defeated are ruled over by the victors. That's how I see Area 11."

"True…and the Britannia government are quite severe against its Eleven citizens."

"It truly is terrible…But, it can also be said that this is just the natural result."

"Oh really…how so?" Lelouch said that as is he was getting interested in what I had to say on this subject.

"Japan did not possess that much power from what I seen and read about. So, it was defeated. Now this is the result of being defeated."

"Well, that…makes sense…But what about Britannia's inability to erase all of the seeds of resistance that appeared afterwards?"

"That's because Britannia has nothing else besides power."

"Just having all that power isn't enough to wipe away all the resistance. Is that what you're trying to say?"

"Yes."

"Then does the person who ascertains the strength of their power, and who doesn't make a mistake in using it, win then?"

"If the goal is winning or losing then, yes…"

"Though you've lost your memories, it seems like your way of thinking can't be shaken at all."

Lelouch said that, but having only knowledge, uninfluenced by my memories, could only make me look at the entire situation objectively. It's true that I didn't feel strong resentment towards the current state of the Elevens like Kallen, but neither did I share Britannia's point of view of looking down on them.

"And, even though you're already distracted by your own circumstances, you were able to judge it firmly."

"Huh…really?"

"Yes, I think that's an important quality to have. Thank you, I'm glad that I was able to have this talk with you."

"Sure thing…I guess."

After we finished our conversation Kallen came walking up to us.

"There you are Rai. I'm finally finished with my work with Milly. Shall we get going now and…Hmm…Lelouch?" Kallen then noticed that Lelouch was here as well.

"Well then, I guess I better leave now. I wouldn't want to be a nuisance to you two…farewell."

Lelouch gave a simple wave of his hand and then headed off for the clubhouse.

"We better get going before it gets too dark to walk around."

"Hnn, fine…So where are we going anyways?" I asked.

The two of us then headed off for the settlement.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Later on that night Lelouch was sitting in his room thinking about a certain silver-haired boy.

"Rai…Considering his mismatched memories and knowledge, he has a wide point of view, and a clear will. It has been almost two weeks now since Milly and I found him and there have been no public announcements from the army or government, nor have there been any searches for him on a civilian level. He doesn't have the look of a normal Britannian soldier. He also doesn't seem to want to create a disturbance, possibly because he has no reason to do so, if that's really a reflection of his true character. Could he possibly be from the aristocracy or…from some other royalty somewhere around the world, or maybe even from the Imperial family…?"

Then Lelouch quickly shook his head no.

"No, that would be making too much of a leap. However, Kallen observed his knightmare piloting abilities, as well as his ability to think and judge under duress…"

Lelouch then looked out the window and while holding a black-colored knight chess piece saw Rai heading back to the clubhouse.

"Whoever he is, he's definitely a chess piece I want to get my hands on…"

Lelouch then put the chess piece down, pulled out a special black-colored cell phone and dialed a number on it.

"Q1, this is Zero. That silver-haired boy you told me about, I want you to bring him to me in a few days. Yes, that is all."

At that exact same time someone else was also thinking about that same silver-haired boy. Suzaku Kururugi was heading into his workplace and walked over to a female soldier who was working on a computer.

"I'm sorry to interrupt you from your work Miss Cecile, but I was wondering if you finished looking up that piece of information I asked you to look into."

The female soldier known as Cecile turned her chair around so that she was facing Suzaku.

"Yes, I did find some time today to look into that person you told me about."

"So, did you find anything about him?"

"I looked through all the military personnel files but I'm sorry to say that there was no Rai listed anywhere."

"What about people with silver hair?"

"Out of all the people I looked up, I found about five people, but none of them had any other physical features similar to the person you mentioned. Finding someone with silver-hair is a rarity after all."

"I see…"

Suzaku was saddened by the fact that the big lead he found ended up at a dead end. This led him to be even more confused. If Rai is not a Britannian soldier, then how is he able to pilot a knightmare? Then again, it has been seven years since the knightmare frame has been introduced to the world. Other countries have been putting in research on how to create their own knightmares. Suzaku then began to wonder how good Rai was at piloting a knightmare. Rai didn't say how good he was; only that he could escape from the encirclement. This led to a new idea.

"Miss Cecile, would you mind if I brought a student from my school here to try out the knightmare simulator?"

"Absolutely not…That simulator is used to train soldiers, it's not a game!"

"Sir Suzaku, is this person you're talking about that silver haired kid I see you aquatinted with at that school of yours?"

Out of nowhere a man dressed like a researcher appeared which surprised both Suzaku and Cecile.

"Ah, Lloyd!"

"Lloyd, what are you saying?" Cecile demanded.

"Are you saying you know Rai?"

"I don't know a single detail about him. The only thing I do know however is that he certainly does give off the scent of a knightmare pilot, that's for sure."

"You really think so?" Suzaku and Cecile said.

"I sure do. Why don't you bring him in here one of these days I will give him a simulation to do. If he is good enough maybe he can join our little research crew, the Camelot. We could always have another devicer handy after all. Especially now since second prince Schniezel had Miss Cecile and I work on two new prototype knightmares ever since the success of good old Lancelot."

"I guess we do need more volunteers especially since Suzaku won't be able to test them all by himself."

Lloyd then got right into Suzaku's face which caused him to move back a little.

"So, did you get all of that?"

"Yes, I'll make sure to bring him by whenever he's available. Which might be a little difficult since Rai is also in Student Council and unlike me, there's nothing keeping him from leaving his duties there."

"Whenever you have a chance is good enough for me." Lloyd replied.

(Back to Rai's POV)

The next morning I was in the cafeteria eating breakfast while listening to Milly talk.

"Oh, aren't you eating vigorously for once? Food gives you energy you know! The taste itself doesn't really matter."

"Today I just feel hungry, that's all."

"That's good…Along with Suzaku you're in charge of all the student council's heavy labor because your bodies are our only hope for those kinds of things."

"How did you form that logic…?"

"It's very simple. As you know, Lelouch is rather physically weak and while Rivalz will lift things sometimes he most often feigns ignorance about that type of work. Because I know I can rely on you, please don't slack off too much."

"Sure."

"Well, if you wake up one day and said, 'To be honest, I woke up in love!' as your reason, I'll overlook it a little."

"Why would I say such a thing?"

"Am I wrong…Recently, haven't you been talking with the girls of the student council here and there? I'm concerned for you as your guardian. But when you're so fickle all the time, won't you end up being disliked by everyone?"

I then put my food back on my plate and looked down.

"Bull's eye…?"

"I would never let that kind of thing happen."

"You don't have to tell anyone not to worry! Because I'm going to be cheering for you all the way! It's an adolescent's duty to fully enjoy their springtime of life. Try to do your best to enjoy it while you can! You never know what you might become in the future."

I've been completely overpowered by her once again. Well, that is the usual pattern of that person.

"Oh yes, and while we are at it, have you decided about what you are going to do for the Blue Moon Festival?"

"Blue Moon Festival…what's that?"

"What, you don't remember? I had you hang posters of that event sometime last week."

"You mean those huge posters you had me hanging up everywhere that one morning?"

"Yep, those were the ones."

"What is this festival supposed to be celebrating anyways?"

"It still isn't going to be happening for several weeks from now but, this festival is an Ashford tradition in honor of the old legend of the Blue Moon."

"The…Blue…Moon?"

"The legends say that once every year the moon will glow an ominous blue color for a few hours on one night. And any couple that confess their love to each while standing on the altar of a chapel when the blue moon is out will live a long, happy, life for all eternity with each other. Ahh…Don't you think that's the most romantic kind of love there is Rai?" Milly said as her elbows were on the table while holding her head with her hands and sighing contently.

"I guess." I said in an uninterested tone of voice.

"Oh, you weren't interested at all were you?"

"Sorry…so what exactly is going to be happening for this event?"

"Well, for the most part there is going to be a huge party in the clubhouse as well as other events outside around the clubhouse. Oh, and once the moon comes out there will be a dance in the courtyard which will start when the girls of the student council is escorted by a boy from the student council. It's going to look beautiful!"

"Wait…What? You mean I'm going to have to…"

"Yep, that's right!" Milly said as she pointed at me with a happy look on her face.

"So, who is going to be escorting you Milly?"

"Oh, I'm not going to be escorted since I'm going to be hosting the entire thing. But if I was going to be escorted I would want you or Lelouch escorting me. But that's only a fantasy because the two of you are already taken."

"Huh…how is that?"

"Well I'm pretty sure that by now you know Shirley likes Lelouch a lot so it's obvious she wants him to escort her. And since you and Kallen seem to be with each other all the time it became clear to me that she will want you escorting her."

"I wouldn't say we're together all the time."

"Well surely you must feel something towards her by now don't you?"

While I wasn't really sure how I felt about Kallen I definitely knew I didn't want to talk to Milly about that kind of thing so instead I said this.

"Sorry Milly, but there is nothing going on between us at all…It's just the same old search for my memories quest."

"Hmm…could it be you only say that because you already have a girlfriend?"

"Huh… what are you talking about now?"

"From before you lost your memories. Do you think you already have a girlfriend and you just don't remember her?"

I just sat there for a moment to think about it but nothing was coming up.

"I don't think that is a possibility. From what I know about myself so far I don't think I'm the type of guy who could easily ask a girl out."

"I suppose you're right. You do seem to doubt yourself and lose your confidence quite easily. And it would seem kind of awkward if you and Kallen were together and then a girl from your past suddenly showed up."

"Yeah…"

"But I'm sure one of these days you'll…"

Milly then looked at the clock and suddenly jumped up.

"Oh my, look at the time! I have to get going Rai. There's this important meeting I have to go to with my grandfather today. Make sure everyone in student council does their work today okay?"

"Sure…"

"I'll speak with you later Rai."

Milly then took off from the cafeteria. Well, since Milly isn't going to be here for the day no one is going to do their work anyways and there is a holiday today which means no school, which concludes that today is going to be a free day for the student council members. After I finished eating I headed out for the clubhouse and entered the student council room. Everyone seemed to be here besides Milly, obviously, and Suzaku, who seemed to be doing work for the military today. Rivalz and Lelouch had a chessboard laid out on one end of the table and were having a match against each other. I went over to watch and saw that Lelouch had Rivalz in check.

"Oh man, I lost! I just never seem to be able to beat you when it comes to chess. I wish there was someone else I could challenge around here." Rivalz said disappointed and then suddenly noticed me.

"Oh hey, Rai, I know, want to go a round against me?" He said challenging me.

"You want me to play chess? Sure, just tell me the rules of the game." I said as I sat down with them.

Lelouch and Rivalz then took a few minutes to explain the rules of the game to me. Once I had figured out most of the game mechanics I played a game of chess against Rivalz while Lelouch, Shirley and Nina watched. Once the game was over I came out as the winner.

"What, I lost to someone who never even played chess before? How is that possible? Let's play again Rai."

"Okay."

Rivalz and I played chess for a few more hours but the result was always the same.

"Checkmate." I said as I put my knight piece down on the board.

"I lost again!" Rivalz cried out.

"You're so good at this Rai! Hey Rivalz, many losses does this make?" Shirley asked Rivalz.

"21 losses…" Nina pointed out.

"He's very skilled at making use of his knight. He firmly predicts the intention of his opponent, and then cuts through them using precise timing." Lelouch said from his observation of the matches.

"I'm just no match for him. I think he's as good as Lelouch at this game." Rivalz stated.

I noticed Kallen's eyes looking over here suddenly. She who usually never paid attention to the commotion of the other members, and just sat there reading a book quietly. However, she seemed very conscious of me today, and had glanced over here several times already. I'm sure that she's thinking about something. That's what I thought, but I didn't dare say anything about it, not with the commotion from Rivalz and the others still going on.

"I know, how about we see which one of those two would win in a game against each other?" Shirley suggested.

"Oh, I'd like to see that. How about it Lelouch?" Rivalz agreed with Shirley's idea.

"I think it would be very interesting to go up against Rai, as long as he's up for it." Lelouch seemed like he was interested in playing against me.

"Sounds good to me." I already heard that Lelouch was an expert at the game and now I was going to see just how good he actually was.

"Alright, it's the ultimate chess showdown! Who will everyone be betting on today?" Rivalz yelled out.

"Hey, we don't do that sort of thing around here. That's bad you know." Shirley said as she disapproved the idea of gambling.

"I know that already. There won't be any money involved. How about having the people who lose take care of one of the tasks for the student council of the winners for each game?" Rivalz suggested.

"Well, in that case." Shirley seemed to be okay with that idea.

"Well then, everyone, please separate and go to your chosen side."

And so the first game has begun. Lelouch was using black while I used white. During the first game however, after a few moves, I noticed that Lelouch's king was out in front of his other pieces. I thought it looked rather odd so I decided to ask him about it.

"Hey Lelouch, why is your king so far out from your other pieces?"

"If the king doesn't lead, how can he expect his subordinates to follow?"

Huh, what does that suppose to mean? Ignoring his answer, we continued on with the game until I was defeated. We played again with me still using white and him using black and I won this time. Then we decided to mix it up with Lelouch using white and me using black. I won the third match while Lelouch won the fourth match. Everyone besides Kallen seemed to be watching with amazement in their eyes.

"They're still completely tied up!" Rivalz boasted out.

"Two wins and two losses each." Nina said as she was keeping track.

"I'm only watching and even I found it breathtaking." Shirley said with excitement.

"One more game…shall we decide it all with that?" I said to Lelouch.

"No, let's stop it here. If we start now the sun will have already be gone by the time we finish. Don't worry Rai; I'm sure we will have our final match one of these days." Lelouch called out.

"Then let's break it up for today. Since no one won or lost, we can continue the bet afresh later." Rivalz pointed out.

Preparing themselves to go home, each of the student council members began leaving the room.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	8. Chapter 8

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 8: Invitations

Once the chess games were over for the day, everyone prepared themselves to go home with each of the student council members beginning to leave the room. Kallen also closed her book and stood up. She walked past me and moved her hands in such a way, which was a signal she made up recently for when she wanted to talk to me, to call me out. After I saw her send me the signal to follow her, Kallen walked out of the room. I immediately got up and left the room as well to follow her. As we were walking down the hallway from a certain distance from each other Kallen showed a faint smile as she confirmed my presence behind her, but still quickened her pace without looking back. Coming out of the hallway, Kallen went out into the courtyard, and then turned around, her red hair swinging as it blended in with the sky's sunset.

"What do you need from me?" I asked her.

"This…" She then handed me a piece of paper.

"What's this for?"

"Tomorrow, please come to the place marked on it without fail.

"Huh…what are…"

"At that time, I'll explain everything."

And with that, Kallen walked away without looking back. I lost sight of her back at the exact same time as it went from sunset to twilight. The piece of paper she had left in my hand was a map indicating a place within Shinjuku. Why did she want me to come there I wondered. I couldn't understand that part at all.

The next morning I came up to the rooftop to get some fresh air when I noticed that someone was already up there. It was Lelouch and he was talking on his phone with someone.

"Yes, we're doing it tonight. Make sure everything is set up by then."

He seems to be in the middle of a phone call. It would be wrong to eavesdrop, but I also think it would be wrong to just leave. I decided to call out to Lelouch.

"Hey Lelouch, what are you up to over there?"

Lelouch seemed surprised when he heard my voice. He then quickly tried to end his phone call.

"I'll call back later to finish our discussion about tonight's plan."

He then put his phone away and turned towards me with a smile on his face. I couldn't really tell if it was genuine or not.

"What are you doing up here at this time?"

"I came to see the settlement and get some fresh air. Since you were already here when I got up here I spoke out. I seem to have interrupted you while you were on the phone."

"It doesn't matter. It wasn't an important phone call. I was already preparing to hang up anyway."

"Really?" I couldn't really tell if he was telling the truth or not.

"It's almost time for us to go to our next class though. We really should get going now."

Lelouch said trying to change the subject.

"Umm…okay then, I guess."

And with that, Lelouch and I left the rooftop to attend our next class. As soon as the next class was finished Lelouch immediately got up from where he was sitting and left the room. He's probably going to go and continue that phone call from earlier. For some reason, that's what I thought at that moment. I eventually got up and started to walk down the hallway. While I was walking down the hallway I could see Shirley on the other end of the hallway speaking with various groups of people. As she was coming down the hall she eventually noticed me and cheerfully walked up to me.

"Hey Rai, have you seen Lulu?"

"Oh…Lelouch? No, I haven't seen him."

"But wasn't he with you this morning?"

"I was with him for a while, but after our last class he got up all of a sudden and disappeared. I don't know where he went after that."

"I see…Thanks anyway." She said that with a disappointed look on her face.

"I'm sorry for not being much help."

"No, please don't worry about it." Shirley then waved her hand goodbye and rushed on down the hallway.

Shirley is often worrying about Lelouch…Is that guy what you call a "worrisome existence"? Later on I was walking around outside wondering what I should do. I didn't have to go meet Kallen in Shinjuku until later this evening. I thought it was kind of strange that Kallen would want to meet me out in the ghettos again, especially after what happened the other day. And she never said why we were going out there, in fact she didn't say anything…Maybe I should stop thinking about it so hard. She wanted me to go out there for whatever reason and I should just be ready to go out there whenever the time came. Since no one else I recognized was around at the moment I decided to sit down on a nearby bench and look up at the sky. The sun was shining brightly today with very few clouds around. Everything was quiet and peaceful. Once I got up and was prepared to leave the area someone called out to me. I turned around and saw Suzaku running down the courtyard and greeted me.

"Hey Rai, are you busy right now?"

"Well later today I'm supposed to go meet up with someone, but I'm not busy now."

"Oh I see, don't worry, we won't be gone for too long. There's this place I want you to come with me."

"And where would that be?"

"It's actually the place I work at. There are some people I want you to meet. We came up with some activities for you to try out which might help restore some of your memories."

"Is that so? I guess I don't mind but is it really okay for someone like me to go to your workplace?"

"I already asked Milly and she said it was okay."

The two of us then headed off to where Suzaku worked at. I couldn't help but feel a little nervous about entering a military work zone. Once we reach the location we were greeted by two people. One was a woman with blue hair and wore a Britannian uniform. The other was a man who wore a researcher uniform. Suzaku introduced me to them both.

"This is Cecile Croomy and Lloyd Asplund; they are pretty much my bosses."

"Hello there." The woman named Cecile greeted me in a polite manner.

Suzaku then introduced me to them.

"And this is Rai, he is a student from Ashford that I attend classes with."

"Now that we all know who we are, shall we get going now?" The man with the lab coat said and started to lead us.

We then started to walk around the workplace. As we walked around I noticed a knightmare that was covered by a huge piece of cloth. Because the whole thing was covered I couldn't tell what kind of knightmare it was. I assumed it was a special customized knightmare. We then stopped in front of what looked like a simulator.

"So, are you ready to try out a knightmare simulation?" Lloyd said.

"Wait…knightmare simulation? What are you talking about?" I confusingly blurted out.

"I thought that since you were able to remember how to pilot a knightmare you might begin to learn more about yourself if you continued piloting them."

"Oh, is that so? Well then, I guess I'll give it a try then."

I then got in the seat for the simulator and started it up. I'll just pretend like this is some video game or something. Unlike like that time in Shinjuku Ghetto when I entered that Burai though, this knightmare's controls were a little bit different. But I was able to easily adjust to the settings of this knightmare shortly after getting in. Once the simulation started I immediately went all over the course and started smashing up other knightmares. My opponents were Glasgows and Sutherlands. Even though my machine had no weapons I was still able to easily knock them out with only punches and kicks. After about thirty minutes I finished the simulation.

"Congratulations, you passed the test at ninety-two percent." Lloyd said in a pleased mood.

"Wow Rai, I didn't know you were that good at piloting a knightmare. It's almost kind of frightening." Suzaku said to me.

"Have you ever considered joining the military? There are open positions in our Camelot crew. We could use someone with your abilities and you are guaranteed good benefits." Lloyd said as he tried to persuade me.

"Well I don't know. I haven't really thought about it."

"I know it's a little extreme but it is something you might want to look into. We may not have found you on the military personnel list but we have reliable searching networks."

"I'll…think about it."

"Sure, there's no rush. Take plenty of time to think about it. Just let me know if you're willing to join and I'll get Cecile or Lloyd to help register you in."

"I'm sorry to say this but there's someone I have to go meet so I'll be leaving now."

"Is this person you are meeting Kallen?"

"H-How did you know?" I said surprised.

"Well in that case you better get going. You wouldn't want to keep a woman waiting you know. I'll guide you out of here."

Suzaku then started to guide me out of this place.

(Outside Rai's POV)

When the two boys left Lloyd and Cecile began speaking to each other in private.

"My, my, that boy sure is something. He passed the Lancelot Simulator at ninety-two percent. And here I thought nobody but Suzaku was able to operate the machine that well."

"What, that was the Lancelot simulator you had him doing?" Cecile was surprised at this revelation.

"I sure did and boy was that interesting."

"You don't think that kid is an ace pilot, do you?"

"Who knows, although I am curious in who taught him how to pilot knightmares."

(Back to Rai's POV)

After I left Suzaku's workplace I began heading to the place indicated on Kallen's map. As I was heading there I began thinking to myself. Join the Britannian Military? I wasn't so sure about that. Getting help from the military is one thing but working for them is completely different. I don't know Suzaku's reason for being in the military but there really isn't any reason or benefit for me to join. So I can pilot a knightmare, so what? I only piloted a knightmare that one time because I was only trying to protect myself. After all that thinking I found myself in the area Kallen has designated. The entire area was in destroyed ruins and looked like a place that people would never come to. I went out into the plaza surrounded by rubble. Out there was a single girl standing at a spot that couldn't be seen from the rest of the surroundings. When I first saw her I couldn't tell if she was Kallen or not. She was wearing clothes that made her look like she was from a resistance cell or something. Also, along with a red headband, she had her hair spiked up in the back instead of combed down like usual. It wasn't until she spoke that I could confirm it really was her.

"I had faith that you would come."

"Kallen…is that you?"

As the girl approached, she spun around and showed her appearance to me.

"What do you think? Compared to how I am at school, I mean. Are you surprised?"

"Y-Yeah…"

I somehow felt there was a gap in the speech and conduct between this Kallen and the one who always acted frail and sickly at school. However, I was also bewildered by her energetic appearance with her changed hairstyle and clothes. Was this person really Kallen, the same one I attended school with?

"Follow me…It's this way."

Kallen went towards a staircase that had started to get buried in rubble. I had already come here in order to meet with her. I might as well follow after her. The stairs led to an underground shopping center. There was no one here of course but I could feel the place's former liveliness from the signs and posters of the wrecked shops here. This shopping center was unexpectedly vast…and lonely. The light of Kallen's flashlight was lost in the vast space as it illuminated the path ahead of us.

"I have a favor to ask of you."

"What is it?"

"I want you to fight with me."

"Fight, fight against who?"

"To fight against Britannia…You also understand that the state of the current Japan is wrong, don't you?"

"Why…"

"Because Rai, I think that you are probably Japanese. No, I'm sure of it!"

I wasn't sure what to say here.

"This is what I believe after watching you. The real you is definitely closer to the Japanese than those Britannians. Besides, you should remember the anger you felt at the current state of the ghettos, don't you?

"Yeah, however, what about the terrorists from last time? Weren't they trying to fight against Britannia as you say?

"That's exactly why! We have to concentrate our power, not on such indiscriminate attacks, but on a more just goal!"

I wasn't even sure who I was talking to anymore.

"I'm sure we can do it. I have a leader who can accomplish this."

"A leader?"

"Yes, I called you here so that you could meet him. Please, fight with me for the sake of Japan!"

Eventually, I could see light from at the other end of the underground tunnel. There seemed to be several men and women standing there.

"We've arrived."

Suddenly, lights lit up the whole surroundings and everything became bright. I had to put my arm over my forehead to see clearly. With the light sources arranged so that they were standing before a lit up background, it felt like the psychological effect had also been taken into account when they set this up. Everyone there was dress in a black theme, which gave them a sense of unity. An uniform, is what I would call it. The most striking one, though, was the person in the middle…A man wearing a black mask. Kallen ran up to the masked man.

"I brought the guy I told you about."

"Good work Kallen."

"Rai…let me introduce you. This person is Zero…The leader of us, the Order of the Black Knights."

"Zero…The Black Knights." I murmured to myself.

Now I remember…I saw this person on the huge television in the settlement once. He looks taller in person though.

"It's an honor to meet you, Rai. I've heard everything about you from Kallen. You're so talented, yet everything about you is wrapped in mystery."

"Rai, I truly wanted for you to join the Black Knights without fail."

"Kallen, are you…a member of the Black Knights?"

"Yes, my real name is Kozuki Kallen, I'm Japanese. Kallen Stadtfeld is merely an alias used for a temporary appearance. Zero, I recommend this person for admission into the Black Knights."

"Very well, you have my consent. I'll follow your wishes in this matter. However, the rest depends upon this person's choice."

I see…so that's what this is all about.

"Let me tell that, if you were to refuse, we'll have to take measures in order to protect Kallen's secret."

"You mean seal my mouth, right?"

"It wasn't my intention to suggest that."

"Please, fight with us Rai!"

I see…the Black Knights huh…It's quite a surprise that Kallen is a member, but it seems she isn't as weak and frail as I thought. But…I wasn't so sure on this. There is no evidence that I'm really Japanese. Just what would be the risks in joining up with an anti-Britannia group? I just stood there and didn't say anything. Zero noticed my silence and called out to me.

"What's wrong?"

What should I do? Should I use that strange power called Geass? But, with so many people surrounding me, there's no guarantee that it will work on all of them.

"Does this silence mean that you refuse? In that case, it can't be helped…"

Zero then pulled his pistol out and pointed it right at my head. He had his finger on the trigger and slowly pulled down on it until…

"Please wait…Stop!"

Kallen rushed forward and stood right in front of me. Spreading her hands out in front of me, she shielded me from Zero's gun. Zero then let go of the trigger but kept the gun pointed at me.

"This man would surely be a strong asset to our forces! Please Rai…Please join the Black Knights!" She was pretty much begging me to join at this point.

"Kallen…"

"The Black Knights pass judgment on the evils in this world! You saw that at Shinjuku ghetto; didn't you?"

That time, the Black Knights eliminated the terrorists as well as the Britannian army, and also rescued the citizens in the area.

"And also, the Black Knights' intelligence network is quite reliable. We may even be able to discover something about your past."

My past, at present, I know next to nothing about it. How much would I bet on the Black Knights being able to help me with this? And it's also true that the Black Knights saved the civilians of the ghettos from the military and the terrorists.

"I-I need a day to think it over. I'm sorry; with something like this…I need time to sort things through. But…"

I then moved Kallen out of the way so the pistol wasn't aimed at her. I then went and stood right in front of pistol, with it resting on my forehead.

"But if you really don't believe me then you can just kill me right now."

Now Zero was the one who was silent for a moment but then started to speak up as he lowered his weapon.

"You know, maybe you are right. Maybe I've been a little too persistent on making you join without considering your thoughts and feelings. Very well, I will give you twenty-four hours to think about it. But I have ways of keeping my eyes on you. So if you try to do something that's unfavorable to the Black Knights I will wipe you out. I can only hope that you will make a...favorable answer."

"I understand."

"Kallen, take him away from here."

She didn't say anything at first but then finally responded.

"Yes sir. Follow me."

Kallen then guided me back up to the surface of the ghetto. She didn't say anything or even look at me until we reached the surface. It was then that she looked at me and started speaking.

"Rai, I truly do believe that you are Japanese. And I believe that you can make a huge difference in this country that was once called Japan. I hope you give it some serious thought on what you choose to do. And, even if you decide not to just us don't worry, I will make sure Zero won't hurt you. But if you do decide to join, please don't do it for me, do it for your own reasons."

Kallen then left me with those parting words. I was then all alone in this deserted ghetto. I got twenty-four hours to make a decision huh. Before I do anything though I'll need to know something about myself, my old self. Even one fact of myself would be good enough. I then headed on back to Ashford.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Later that night Zero entered his office and was greeted by a green-haired girl called C.C., who was sitting on a couch while chomping down on pizza.

"So, did Rai join the Black Knights?"

Zero walked over to his desk and took off his mask, revealing himself as Lelouch Lamperouge, before answering her question.

"No, he needs time to think it over."

"Well that was to be expected. Did you really think he would join just because you asked?"

Lelouch then slammed his fists down on the desk.

"He understands the current situation of Area 11, he knows that what the Britannian Military is doing is wrong and he has the power to fight back, so why won't he…"

"Because he has no reason to do so, people don't do things without a purpose. Well, unless you use Geass on them, which is another possibility for you to use."

"I'm not going to use my Geass on Rai. There's no point in making people join my cause unless they do so willingly."

"And it's because of that stubborn pride of yours is why Suzaku didn't join you. I mean, if you used your Geass on him back then when you had the chance you probably would have conquered Area 11 by now."

Lelouch was a little shook up when he heard her say Suzaku's name.

"Things will be different this time. I will convince Rai to join the Black Knights."

"Is that what you truly desire? If it's at the core for your reason to exist, then I will help you."

"You really think you can convince Rai to join?"

"I'll see what I can do. There's no guarantees…although I might be able to give Rai a few reasons to fight."

C.C. then finished eating her pizza and then got up to leave the room.

(Back to Rai's POV)

The next day I didn't go anywhere. I didn't even leave my room and had it locked so no one else could come in. I didn't want to talk to anyone; not Kallen, not Suzaku, or anyone else as I tried to sort all the advantages and disadvantages of what action I could take. As I lied on that bed I tried to remember something from my past. Come on think, my memories has to be in my head somewhere. Maybe the only reason why I can't remember anything is because I'm just not thinking hard enough. Come on, think, think, think! I then closed my eyes tightly and tried to delve into the depths of my head. But no matter how hard I thought about it, nothing came up. Dang it, all I need is one clue, that's all it would take for me to decide what I should do. My thoughts were interrupted when I heard a knock on my door.

"Rai, are you in there?" It was Milly.

"Y-Yeah…I'm in here."

"Why is this door locked? And I heard from the other student council members that you didn't attend your classes today. Why is that?" Milly said on the other side of the door.

"I…I just don't feel well today."

"Oh, do you need someone to comfort you in there? Because if you want, I can come in there and try to cure you."

"Uh…don't worry; I think I'll be fine soon."

"Well okay then, but…" Her voice then suddenly shifted into a more serious tone.

"We need to talk soon. There's something important I need to tell you. Whenever you're ready to talk, I'll be waiting for you on top of the school rooftop."

I then heard the sounds of footsteps walking away from my door. Her tone of voice, it wasn't her usual happy and cheerful voice. It was quite severe, for her to sound like that, it must be crucial. I continued to lie on my bed for about thirty minutes before deciding to get up and leave my room. After closing the door I started to head on down the hallway until I was out of the clubhouse. I was passing by the garden area when I was called out by someone. Or, at least I thought.

"Hello there big brother."

I turned to where the voice was coming from and saw Nunnally sitting in a wheelchair where the flowers were at and faced me with her closed eye lids calling out to me. Wait a minute; did she just call me…big brother? Did she think that I was Lelouch? I talked back to correct her.

"Sorry, but it's me, Rai."

Nunnally seemed to be shocked when she heard me talking and formed a confused look on her face.

"Rai, is that you? I-I'm so sorry. I-I thought you were my big brother Lelouch. You both give off a similar presence."

Huh…am I really that comparable to Lelouch?

"No, it's alright. It was just a misunderstanding, that's all."

"Yeah, it's just that, recently my big brother is gone for most of the time besides supper and when he says good night to me. Hey Rai, you know, you're free to come eat supper with my big brother and me anytime you want. It's always just the two of us and I think my big brother would be glad to have you eat with us."

"Oh, is that so?" Somehow I found that hard to believe since he always gives the impression that he doesn't want anyone near him or his sister when they're both together.

"Yeah, whenever we're together he's likes to talk about you sometimes and what you're true identity might be. Sometimes he's explanations are really funny…but in a good way. And he also said that you were a good chess opponent and that he enjoyed playing against you. There's only been one person I know of who gave my big brother a hard time in chess."

And here I thought the guy had no interest in me at all. As much as I wanted to continue this conversation though, I really needed to get going.

"Well, maybe I will come over sometime, but right now I really need to get going."

"Good bye Rai, I hope your memories return to you soon."

I left the garden area and headed up to the rooftop to speak with Milly. When I got up there I saw her sitting on the handrails.

"So, you're feeling better now?" Milly asked me.

"Yeah, I'm feeling fine at the moment. You wanted to talk to me about something?"

"Oh yes, that…Well I'm not sure how to exactly tell you this but…I think I discovered something related to your past."

"Y-You did…what is it?" I suddenly felt my body grew more tense.

"I had one of our doctors look over a blood sample I took from you when you first arrived here and they discovered something in your blood. There's some good news and some bad news though."

"And that would be…?"

"Well, the good news is that you're a Britannian. The bad news is that you're also an...Eleven."

Moving on to the next Stage…


	9. Chapter 9

**The first thing I would like to say is that this is the last chapter concerning the whole Rai joining the Britannian Military or the Black Knights Arc. After this chapter the story will start to follow the anime(with minor changes here and there) as well as my own original plot points. Also, I don't want to hear anything about why Rai didn't join one side or the other. My mind is already made up and nobody is going to change it. It's also impossible for me to please everyone, no matter how hard I might try.**

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 9: Decision

"I'm…a Britannian…and an Eleven?" I slowly said.

"I'm guessing this is quite a surprise for you to discover, isn't it?" Milly called out.

"Yeah…" Somehow I always felt I was somewhere in the middle of the two sides.

"You know, back before Britannia's takeover of Japan it was quite normal for a Britannian and a Japanese to be married to each other. But you don't really see that anymore unless it's for political reasons."

"Milly, was there anything else they found in my blood?"

"I'm sorry Rai but…we couldn't trace it back any further to find out your relatives or anything. There was a time when my family had the technology to do so. But because of the death of one of our sponsors the Ashfords lost most of its power and influence."

"So, what should I do now?"

"What are you talking about?"

"Now that I know I'm a Britannian/Eleven, is it really okay for me to stay here at this school or the settlement for that matter? What I'm trying to say is where does someone with a split nationality like me suppose to fit in?"

"Hmm…well it's true that half-blooded Britannians don't receive as much respect from full-blooded Britannians. In fact, the royal families and the military treat half breeds the same as the Numbers."

"Really, is that so…" I said in a sadden tone as I looked towards the ground.

Milly however got off the handrails and suddenly started to speak in her usual cheerful voice.

"But you don't have anything to worry about! It doesn't matter to me if you are half Britannian. You're welcome to stay here at Ashford for as long as you like. Your secret is safe with me. I won't even tell anyone on student council. I'll let you decide who should know your real blood traits."

"Thank you, Milly."

Milly just laughed after I said that.

"Oh, you don't have to thank me for anything. I was actually talking with another half blooded Britannian the other day about being more cautious. Since she doesn't live on campus I had to go to her house personally and hand over her transcript just to keep the other half of her nationality a secret."

"Is that so…"

"Anyways, now that I told you this information how about you go take a walk around the settlement to think things through. Who knows, you might discover something new in the settlement with the knowledge you now possess."

"Well, in that case I guess I'll be going now."

I turned around to leave the rooftop but before I got anywhere Milly quickly got in front of me.

"I almost forgot, take this with you."

She then handed me a small tube that contained what appeared to be red liquid.

"What is this?" I asked her.

"This is the blood sample I took from you to be studied on. But now I think it would be better if you have this instead of me. Who knows, you might run into someone with better research technology than what we have here."

Two places suddenly came to mind when she said that.

"Don't worry; now that I have this piece of information about myself, it has only encouraged me to try even harder to discover who I really am."

"I'm glad to hear that. You are going to have to try harder from now because there isn't much that I can do to help you anymore.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Well at this point I've tried everything in my power to help recover your memories. But all that we manage to learn is that you're a Britannian/Eleven. But what you want to know are real events that happened in your past right?"

"Yes."

"The only thing I can do for you now is just let you use Ashford Academy as a haven for your convenient use. I'm sorry to say this but, from this point on you are probably going to have to get some outside help to assist you in regaining your memories. By that I mean people outside of this school."

"I see…people not affiliated with this school."

"But I kept you up here long enough. Now get going, your memories are out there somewhere."

"Right, I'll be going now."

I then proceeded to leave the rooftop. When I was out of sight Milly silently whispered something to herself.

"Good luck, Rai."

I was now walking around the settlement trying to figure out my next course of action. As I was strolling around I looked at the buildings, the people and the sky as I passed by. Even though I have seen these things before they all still look the same to me. It was as if I could only see a lighter shade of what I was looking at, almost colorless. After looking around for a while I found myself standing in the middle of the park. I looked around the place and I saw a man who works in the stand being beat up by six guys. I went over to get a closer view and saw that it was the Eleven salesman who got thrashed about a week ago. Three of those thugs also look familiar. One of them, who I presumed to be the leader, turned around and noticed that I was watching and suddenly freaked out.

"You, you're that school punk from before!" He said as he pointed his finger at me.

"And you're the guys who are still beating up people for no reason." I replied back.

"Well, people like this guy are nobody's anyway. They're just Eleven losers." The thug said as he stomped his foot on the Eleven's back. When he said the word loser, it kept ringing inside my head.

"Losers huh…What if they are only half Eleven…then what?"

"It doesn't matter if an Eleven is half Chinese, Indian, or even Britannian. Through the eyes of a full blooded Britannian, they're all losers."

I see…so that's how a Britannian would think of me.

"But enough about stinking Elevens, I would worry more about yourself right now."

I then suddenly noticed that all six guys were surrounding me.

"Hey, now that I think about it, where's that red headed cutie that was with you last time?" The leader called out to me.

Red headed cutie? I think he was talking about Kallen.

"Oh well, I guess she already dumped him." A different guy called out.

"Yeah, if I was her I wouldn't want to be with a white haired pretty boy who was about to get his ass kicked either." Another one said.

Then all six of them started to laugh out loud. I just simply placed my fingers on my forehead and smirked.

"Obviously you guys didn't learn what happened to you the last time you tried messing with me. Just because there are more of you guys now doesn't mean the result is going to change."

"Huh…why you!" One of them then started to charge at me with his fist.

I could've easily just used my Geass to end all of this. But, for some reason, I thought that using my Geass would be the same as just letting them off the hook for all the trouble they keep causing. No, I won't use my Geass just yet. I'll rough them up a little bit before using it. It will also give me a chance to learn something through my battle style. And just like before, my body began moving on instinct as I easily brushed his punch aside and delivered my own blow onto his face. The blow managed to make the guy fall flat on his back. Two more guys came charging forward but I flipped and knocked them over before they could even do anything. This continued on until all six guys were all laying on each other in a dog pile with me sitting on the top guy unscathed.

"Well, it's obvious who the winner of this fight is." I bluntly said.

"Hey, get the hell off of us!" The guy on top said as he tried to shake me off.

"Fine, but before I do there's something I want to say…" I then started to form Geass in my right eye before speaking.

"You guys will never pick a fight with anyone ever again."

A red globe then formed between me and the six goons. I only spoke loud enough so the six guys could hear me. The goons, now under the influence of my Geass, started to get up and walk away from me.

"This guy is right. I'm done beating up on people!" The leader called out.

"Yeah, it was starting to get boring anyways." A second guy said.

"Hey, how about we head for the arcade?" A third guy suggested.

"Dude, that sounds way more fun than beating up Elevens!" A fourth guy agreed.

I just stood there and watched those guys walk away until there were gone from sight. Once they disappeared I started to walk away as well until the Eleven salesman came up to me.

"Thank you so much for saving me young man."

When the man said that I felt a glint of happiness inside myself, but my face only showed disappointment.

"I'm sorry to say this, but I didn't do it to help you in any way. I only did it because those guys were trying to cause a disruption of the peace."

"But even so, I still want to show you my gratitude. How about this, just for you, I'll let you buy whatever you want at half price. How about that?"

"Sorry, but I don't want anything from you."

I then walked away from him. A few seconds later I heard someone call out to me.

"Those skills you displayed earlier were pretty impressive."

I turned to where the voice was coming from and saw a girl walk out from behind a tree.

"You…you're…C.C."

I couldn't recognize her at first because unlike the other day she was wearing casual clothes instead of a school uniform. She also had her long green hair stuffed into that hat she was wearing. I could only recognize her because she had that same expressionless face from before. It was almost as if she was from another world.

"Not only do you remember me but you also remembered my name." C.C. said surprised.

"Well C.C. isn't exactly a real name you know."

She just ignored my reply.

"Rai, do you have time to talk right now?"

"Well I'm kind of in a rush right now. There's a decision I need to make pretty soon."

"Don't worry, this won't take long. In fact, I may be able to help make whatever choice you are trying to make."

This girl, I don't know who she is, but if she was willing to help me, then I will listen to what she has to say. At this point I'm willing to accept help from anybody.

"Okay, I'm listening."

C.C. then nodded and walked over to the nearest bench to sit down on. She then prompted me to sit down next to her. I had no other choice, of course. I sat down next to her to have a discussion.

"Like I said earlier, you displayed some nice fighting skills when you fought those guys from earlier. I watched the entire fight."

"You…You saw me?"

"Yes, and I learned something intriguing about you."

"You did?"

"From that one fight, I learned that you're not the fighting type."

"What do you mean by that?"

"By that I mean you're not the kind of person who would pick a fight with someone. Your moves are all self-defense, no offensive moves. Whoever taught you wanted you to be able to defend yourself, or possibly those precious to you in your past."

"And you were able to deduce all of that just by watching me?"

"It's not words that define a man, it's their actions."

We were both silent then for a moment as the wind blew by. C.C. then started to speak up again.

"Rai, you're half Britannian and half Eleven aren't you?"

"How did you know that?"

"Because whether you're with a Britannian or an Eleven, you blend in easily with both sides. Which leads to my next question, Rai, do you favor your Britannian side or you Eleven side more?"

After taking a moment to think about it I simply replied back.

"I don't know."

"Hmm, then let me ask you this. Do you think the way the Britannians treat the Numbers is fair, or to be more precise, justifiable?"

I took another moment to think before speaking up again.

"Well…I wouldn't exactly say that how the Britannains treat the Elevens is anything but fair. In fact, I don't really like Britannian's behavior towards other cultures. But I'm not saying that it's the people I hate, not at all, it's the system they're using that I don't like."

"So it's their hierarchy that you don't like."

"I know that a lot of Britannians, especially the nobles and the military, look down on non-Britannians. But I also know that there are some Britannians that are good and kind towards others. Like the people on student council for instance and also…ugh!"

My head started to hurt really badly and it wouldn't stop throbbing. It started to hurt so much that I tried standing up but immediately got down on one knee. C.C. simply sat on that bench and smiled as she watched me cry out in pain. As my head hurt I started to see a new vision. This time I saw a girl the same age as me standing in an isolated place. She was a Britannian with long blonde hair and purple eyes. She was also wearing what looked like a blue military uniform. This girl seemed to be waving goodbye to me. She then turned around and started to walk away from me towards the setting sun in the horizon. When she was out of my view the vision started to fade away and I could see clearly again. My head also seemed to stop hurting.

"What was that?" I spoke out.

"From the looks of things, it seems you just remembered something. Do you mind sharing it with me?"

I then sat back down on the bench with C.C. and told her the vision I just had.

"I see…so the discussion we just had about kind hearted Britannians made you remember a Britannian from your past. So who exactly is she, your lover perhaps?"

"No, it's nothing like that. When I saw that girl I felt like she was somebody I knew for a long time."

"A childhood friend?"

"That's probably the best way to describe it."

"You said she was wearing a military uniform correct? That means she must be in the Britannian military right?"

"The thing is though that the uniform she was wearing didn't look a Britannian military uniform. It looked like a military outfit from another country."

"So it means to suggest that she was tired of the Britannian law and decided to leave her own country. Wouldn't you agree with that?"

"That would be the best explanation."

"…This is just my assumption but I think that you and this childhood friend of yours lived somewhere close to the Britannian homeland. The two of you eventually got to the point where you couldn't stand to live under Britannian's rules. This girl decides to leave her home country and join the military of a country that opposes Britannia. You on the other hand decided to go to Area 11 for whatever reason, most likely to change this place somehow, for better or for worse."

"You think the reason why I'm here is to change this place?"

"That would be the best conclusion to come up with. I think that your being here has great significant. After all, you have the power to fight back."

She's right, I can fight, think clearly through a battle and most importantly, I have the power called Geass. C.C. then suddenly stood up.

"Well, I think we'll stop here for today. I also got things I need to attend to. May we see each other again very soon."

And without saying another word she walked away and was gone in a second. I continued to sit on that bench to think of everything that has occurred up till now. So I'm a Japanese Britannian who used to be friends with a Britannian girl. Somewhere along the line she couldn't stand to live under Britannian's rule and we both went on different paths. She joined the military of a different country while I went to Area 11. In that case I must have lost my memories right before, during, or soon after I decided to come here. But what would I come here for? Let's see…based on what I experienced here so far, it seems like the battle between the Britannians and Elevens hasn't finished yet. Every day the Elevens continue to die as they fight for their freedom. Those who don't fight back live in poverty or get killed off anyways. Meanwhile the Britannians live in luxury and enjoy the riches this land has to offer. Is this really how things are suppose to be? Is it really okay for the Elevens to be doomed to their fate because they're weak? No, it's because of the system that Britannia uses is wrong. I finally get it. The people of Britannia act the way they do because of the system. If their system was wiped out then the people would change, theoretically anyways. In that case…I need to…

After spending about an hour thinking through everything I finally had my mind set on what I was going to do. I then headed out to the area in the ghettos where I met Kallen yesterday. I was expecting to see her once I got there but there was someone else waiting there. It was C.C. again, except now she was wearing what looks like a restraint jacket.

"The fact that you came here must mean you're going to join the Black Knights. Am I correct?"

"Yes, I made up my mind. But why are you here? Are you a member of the Black Knights as well?"

"I guess you can say that Zero…he is my…accomplice."

"Accomplice…?"

"Never mind about that…Zero sent me here to bring you to him. But beware…once you start walking down this path, there's no turning back. You'll become an enemy of Britannia."

"I'm already aware of that."

"I see, in that case put this on."

C.C. then handed me a blindfold.

"What is this for?"

"Just a safety precaution…Don't worry, I'll be guiding you."

I then put on the blindfold and once C.C. was sure that I couldn't see anything she grab my wrist and started taking me to somewhere. We were walking for a while until C.C. suddenly stopped and open what sounded like a door. She then grabbed my wrist again and we walked through whatever she just opened.

"Okay Rai, you can take off that blindfold." C.C. said to me.

I then removed the blindfold from my eyes and the first thing I saw was Zero standing right in front of me, his mask close to my face. He scared the crap out of me and I yelled out in fear as I fell to the floor.

"Oh I'm sorry, was I too close in your personal space?" Zero said apologetically.

I slowly got back up on my feet. As I was getting up I took a moment to look at my surroundings. It looks like we were in the lounge of a trailer. I looked to where Zero was standing and saw C.C. standing next to his side.

"Actually, I've been waiting to speak with you again…Zero."

"Oh…and why is that?"

"I wasn't completely sure at first, but it's obvious to me now. The Britannians…the way they treat the Elevens…I can't stand by and let this oppression continue to happen. I'm willing to do my part to help make Area 11 a place where the Elevens…no, the Japanese can live peaceful lives."

"I see…so that's your answer. In that case all I can say is…welcome to the Black Knights! I'm looking forward to working with you Rai." Zero said as he stretched his arm out.

"Oh yeah, I know that I said that I will join you guys but I should let you know that I'm a member of the student council of the school that I go to and because of my duties there I might not be able to attend every one of this organization's operations."

"That's fine…It is important that you keep in contact with the friends that you attend school with. I'm not asking you to join in on all of our activities, but there will be times when I'll need your assistance. Oh yes, I need to give you this."

Zero then walked over to a coffee table and picked up a uniform that was placed there. He then walked back over to me.

"Here, this uniform is for you."

"Why do I need this uniform?"

"Well you can't exactly go out on operations for the Black Knights in your school uniform. I don't think I need to tell you this but, it could cause problems if you're wearing the wrong uniform at the wrong place."

"I guess you have a point."

I then accepted the Black Knights uniform and put it on.

"Hey, this outfit fits me perfectly. How did you know my size Zero?"

Zero just chuckled to himself.

"That just shows how reliable our underground intelligence network is."

"That uniform looks good on you Rai." C.C. commented with a grin on her face.

I couldn't tell if she was serious or not.

"Anyways, how about you go take a look around our headquarters to get yourself acquainted with this place? Although, we don't really have much to show you at this moment." Zero suggested.

"Alright, I guess I'll go take a look around for now. But before I go I would like to request you to look into this for me." I then handed Zero the container that stored my blood sample.

"It's my blood sample. The people of Ashford Academy tried to look into my blood to find some clues to my past but they only managed to find that I'm a half breed of Britannian and Japanese."

"You're a half breed Rai?" Zero sounded like he was caught off guard at this revelation.

"I guess you could say that's another reason why I'm here. Yes, I'm half Japanese."

"Thank you for this Rai. I'll make sure to get this analyzed thoroughly. I might even be able to trace it down to your family heritage."

"Well, I'll leave it to you then." I then walked out of the room.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Well I did my job. You got what you wanted Zero so I'll be going now." C.C. walked out of the room as well.

"I wish that woman wouldn't say it like that. But, I am glad that Rai has decided to join my cause in the fight against Britannia. Now I just have to get this blood examined." Zero said to himself as he headed for his private quarters.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I began walking around the Black Knight's hideout. Although, like Zero said there wasn't much to look at here. Most of the Black Knight's hideouts were in the underground tunnels of the ghettos. As I was walking around I stumbled upon their hanger. The only knightmares they had were Burais, and there were only a few of them. The Black Knights weren't nearly as big a group as I thought. But then again, the military haven't been able to wipe these guys out yet. As time moves on though, this group will increase in numbers and will grow stronger. That's what I believed anyways. Once I seen enough of the hanger I was getting ready to leave when I heard someone call out my name.

"Rai!"

The voice was coming from the other end of the hanger. I turned around to see who it was and saw that it was Kallen. She was also wearing a Black Knights uniform and she started to run up to where I was standing. Kallen seemed full of excitement to know that I was here.

"Rai…that uniform…are you…"

"Yes, from this moment on I'm a member of the Black Knights."

"What made you decide that you want to join us?"

"After thinking it over I determined that what the Britannians are doing to the Japanese is wrong and that I should do something about it. Also, it appears that I really am Japanese, half Japanese anyways."

"I knew it, I knew you were Japanese!" Kallen cheered out.

"But at the same time I'm also a Britannian." I pointed out.

"Your other half is Britannian? That mean…you're just like me, a half blooded Japanese/Britannian."

"I guess so."

"But the fact that you joined the Black Knights means you favor your Japanese side right?"

"I suppose."

Kallen simply smiled when I said that. I rested my back on the wall, closed my eyes and smiled as well.

"I guess that means I should call you Rai-kun from now on."

"Huh…what did you call me?"

"It's the Japanese way of giving respect when talking to someone. You use the word kun when addressing a male."

"Oh, I see…then what would I say to you?"

"You can just call me Kallen-san if you want. The word san is the most common way of giving respect to any person."

"I see…" I think I'll just continue calling her Kallen to keep it plain and simple. I'm still having trouble with her two last names. I'm also having a hard time adjusting to the personality of this Kallen, her true self.

"Anyways I'll show you around the other parts of our little hideout, if that is alright with you."

"Sure, I don't mind."

Kallen then began showing me other parts of the hideout.

(Outside Rai's POV)

C.C. was sitting on top of a pile of scrapheap looking at the moon through a hole in the ground. As she looked at the moon she began talking out loud to someone even though no one was there.

"So, it finally happened. Rai at long last decided to join the Black Knights…Now things are going to get very interesting…Yes I know, I'll continue to watch after Rai for you but I'm not his guardian. That's supposed to be your job…What, you're still trapped in that world?...Fine, I'll make sure he regains his memories and does his duties for you but in the meantime I get to use Rai in any way I wish, which means your accomplice is going to help mine…After all, that was the deal we made…E.E.

Moving on to the next Stage…

**I'm putting this down here but just because I put Rai with the Black Knight don't assume this story will just look through Rai and the Black Knights point of view. Future chapters will look through the Britannian Military's point of view as well as other characters. I'm just letting everyone know this right now. **


	10. Chapter 10

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 10: The First Mission and a Daughter's Pain

Today I was attending my class like I normally do. But I couldn't help but feel a bit fidgety sitting in those classrooms. I'm a member of the Black Knights now and while we don't discriminate against any group, most of the time anyways, the group's primary attack targets are the Britannian Military. If anyone in this school ever finds out that I'm a member of the Black Knights it could cause some serious problems. It's already bad enough that there are still strange rumors going around the school about me. Not to mention the fact that I'm on the enemy list of several male students.

Once class was finished it was time for lunch break. I was getting ready to head for the cafeteria when I noticed Kallen discreetly beckoning me with her hand. Kallen then headed towards the roof so I decided to follow her, despite the reactions of nearby students. When I got up to the rooftop I saw Kallen turn around while holding what appeared to be lunch boxes.

"Why aren't we going to the cafeteria even though it's lunchtime?" I asked her.

"Here, take this." Kallen just ignored my question and handed me one of the lunch boxes.

"This is…" Before I could finish Kallen started to speak up.

"As you can see it's a lunch box. I tentatively tried to make it myself."

"Oh uh…Thank you." I said as I accepted the lunch box.

"Remember, that time I asked you if you could use chopsticks? That's why…"

"Yes, I remember…"

We ate Kallen's lunchboxes as a breeze blew over the rooftop. As we were eating up on the rooftop we started to have a discussion about things related to the Black Knights.

"Rai, there's a certain favor I would like to ask you."

"What is it?"

"Now that you are a member of the Black Knights it would probably be in your best interest to stay away from Suzaku Kururugi. You should know why."

"…Because he is in the Britannian Military right?"

"Correct, if you keep being close to him your identity as a member of the Black Knights might get accidently revealed to him. If that happens he would most likely try to persuade you to leave or even worse arrest you."

I then remembered back to when Suzaku talked about the Black Knights and how he thought Zero's methods were wrong.

"Don't worry; I'll keep my distance from him."

"Good, now how is it?"

"How's what?"

"The food."

"Oh, well this food is really good! I would like to eat this every day if I could."

Kallen blushed when she heard me say that.

"Th-That's not the point, it's about the chopsticks. You don't feel uncomfortable when you use them or anything?"

"Now that you mention it, I'm having no problems using them."

"I see…So, that means it's possible that you lived in Area 11 or maybe the Chinese Federation…"

"Yeah…maybe."

Kallen then let out a huge sigh.

"What is it?" I asked her.

"The food…did it really taste good?"

"Huh…Y-Yeah."

"I see…In that case, if you'd like, I can make some more and we could come up here again sometime…"

"I look forward to it."

The bell then rang for next class. I was ready to head on down until Kallen stopped me while holding something else in her hand.

"Rai, wait."

"Hmm…what is it now?"

"Here's a book I want to lend you. Inside is a memo going over the Black Knights plan for tonight. Make sure you take a look at it today."

"Okay, I will."

"Good, I'll see you later then…"

Adding that in a low whisper, Kallen then left. Watching her back as she went down the steps, I then opened the book to where a bookmark was caught between the pages of a chapter. This must be the operation plans for the Black Knights. The time was written down on the memo as well. Tonight we were going out to retrieve something called Refrain. That was the name of a drug that sent you on a trip to your happy past. That stuff was spreading throughout the ghettos at a rapid pace. Naturally, it was the perfect means of escape for the Japanese right now. Not that it was actually saving anyone, quite the opposite. The Black Knights is going to raid the warehouse where the refrain dealings are taking place and stop it from spreader any further. This was going to be my first operation as a member of the Black Knights.

Once my classes were finished for the day I was getting ready to head to the hideout when Milly suddenly stopped me at the gate. Before I was going anywhere she made me do paperwork for the student council. Apparently, she used the excuse of "The one who doesn't work doesn't eat" phrase to coerce me into doing it. Once I finished that I was finally able to go out to the Black Knights hideout. Once I put my Black Knights Uniform on, I spoke to Zero, who was in the middle of going over the plan for tonight's operation.

"According to reports, it is said that you excel when it comes to operating knightmares." Zero spoke out to me.

"Well I wouldn't say that I'm the best or anything." I replied back.

"There is also Kallen's recommendation…and I'm interested in you as well. I expect much from you."

"I'll do my best to keep up with your expectations."

Although I was recommended, when a student of unknown character suddenly appears, interest is bound to boil.

"The Black Knights can be said to be in a time of making great progress. Your coming at this time may be coincidence or even fate."

"Please don't talk about my coming here like that. I'm doing this for my own reasons."

"That's fine of course. Just keep working hard."

"Yes…Understood, sir."

I had joined thanks to Kallen's recommendation, but there was no meaning in it if I can't find something to do here…I'll have to try my best.

"Good, now let me show you the knightmare you will be operating."

I then followed Zero out to the Hanger where the knightmares were. When we got there he stood right in front of a Burai."

"Does this machine look familiar to you?" Zero questioned me.

"Am I supposed to remember it?" I asked him back. To me it looked like any other Burai.

"Well we did some fixing up and re-coloring to this knightmare but this is the exact same Burai you used back in that terrorist skirmish in Shinjuku. The settings you had on this machine are exactly the same as well."

I didn't know whether I should be happy or sad. After all, the Burai is only a remodeled Glasgow. Only fourth generation technology, so it wasn't anything that special. Still, I'll act like I'm surprised.

"Oh…well, thank you Zero. I look forward to piloting this machine again."

"Yeah, sure you do. Our operation will begin in thirty minutes so make sure you're ready to go. Oh yes, here, you can use this to defend yourself."

Zero then handed me a gun and proceeded to head back to his office. The weapon he gave me was a pistol. It was the same kind that he uses except I wasn't really comfortable holding this weapon. For some reason, I felt like it wouldn't be the weapon of choice that I would use. Also, I don't even know how to use it really. Oh well, I'll just keep it on me just in case. I put the weapon away and was getting ready to head for the lounge when C.C. came out from behind the Burai's legs and called me out. From what I heard from Kallen, no one among the Black Knights seems to know who she really was besides being Zero's mistress.

"Hey." She called out.

"Huh…What is it?" I answered back.

"Have you seen Zero?"

"Yes, he headed back to his office a few minutes ago." I said as I pointed in the direction where I saw Zero heading earlier.

"I see."

"Is there anything else you need to know?"

"No, it's fine. For now anyway…"

"For now…?"

"Don't worry about it…I'm looking forward to seeing how you'll do tonight."

She seemed to be hinting at something. But in the end, I had no idea what it was; she is such a mysterious woman. After C.C. left I headed for the lounge where most of the main members of the Black Knights were. Most of the members from the Black Knights were from Kallen's old resistance cell. The main members from her group were Ohgi, Tamaki, Inoue, Sugiyama, Minami, and Yoshida.

"Hey new guy, try not to drag your feet. We don't want you breaking our precious and valuable Burai." The one called Tamaki said to me.

"_He thought those Burais were valuable?_" I silently thought to myself

"Is your uniform size okay? It isn't too tight, is it?" Inoue said.

"You have Kallen's recommendation. Don't worry about anything, just keep calm." Ohgi insisted.

"I'll try to do my best." I said reassuring.

Everyone in the Black Knights had accepted me among them with relatively no objections. The fact that Kallen had stepped out to save me before had become well known in the group. But then, Kallen herself had a good position among the Black Knights and her recommendation also helped support my own current position. I looked over to where the discussion room was and saw Kallen sitting on the couch. Unlike at school Kallen was usually cheerful and active here but today she seemed to feel depressed about something. I decided to go over there and sit with her to talk about it.

"Did something happen?" I asked her.

"Yeah, it's about something that happened this morning…"

"What happened?"

"Well…"

Before she got to explain anything though Ohgi came up and said it was time to go.

"Are all your preparations done? Let's head out then." Ohgi said to us.

"Never mind, it's nothing important anyways. Let's go, Rai."

"Uh…sure."

The operation has begun. I waited for the right time in my Burai's cockpit. We were in the area between the ghettos and the settlement, at a deserted night-time warehouse district. We were waiting for Zero's instructions to head in. As we were sitting around the other members started to have a discussion.

"What the hell is Zero thinking? After all this talk about bringing down Britannia, he just got us running around helping the police." Tamaki said complaining.

"It still feels pretty good to have the will of the people behind us though." Ohgi said.

"Yeah, he's right. We're totally heroes on the net." Sugiyama commented.

Zero then sent out a signal for us to head in.

"There's the signal from Zero. I can't believe he got in there." Sugiyama said.

"How many tricks does this guy have up his sleeve anyways?" Tamaki said.

"Alright, charge in!" Ohgi commanded us to head in there.

The Black Knights, who had been hiding in the surrounding darkness up till that point, moved in all at once.

"Let's go Rai." Kallen said as she jumped into her red customized Burai and headed straight in there. I immediately rushed after her as well. Our two Burais charge forward. We were attacked by some machine guns, but such common weapons had no chance against a Knightmare. The main force lead by Zero also rushed in and the dealings site was instantly taken over by us, the Black Knights. Kallen's Burai, which had burst into the inner part of the building, suddenly stopped. I could see several silhouettes beyond it. It didn't seem to be those guys from the illegal smuggling organization. The people inside the room seemed to be Elevens who were currently in a hallucinatory state from taking Refrain. A woman unsteadily stood in front of Kallen's Burai. This woman seemed to have stolen all of Kallen's attention.

"Hey Kallen, what's wrong?" I tried to get an answer from her but she wasn't responding.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Kallen went ahead of Rai and the other Black Knights member with her Burai and busted into the inner part of the building. She stopped when she saw a bunch of Elevens hooked on Refrain. Kallen then heard a familiar voice out in the crowd. She looked down and saw that it was her biological mother, who was also on Refrain. Her mother was walking and then was about to fall over until Kallen caught her with the Burai's right hand and placed her on her left hand. Her mother was constantly babbling about her past going on about Kallen and her older brother Naoto. Kallen was disgusted about what became of her mother.

"My god, how weak a woman are you mother? First you give in to Britannia, then to a man, and now this. My brother is gone; it's time to forget about him. Ugh!"

(Back to Rai's POV)

A sudden burst of shooting hit the shoulder of the right arm of Kallen's Burai and sent it flying off. A white Knightmare then rushed forward. It was a member of the Knight Police. This meant that…

"The police…does that mean they're involved in this?! Tamaki!" Ohgi screamed at Tamaki.

"Don't look at me! When I checked this place out there weren't any cops around!"

"They're rotten to the core…" Zero commented.

It's too soon for them to have dispatched after hearing about this disturbance. The smuggling organization and the police must be keeping in contact with each other.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Kallen held her mother on the Burai's left hand as she began to run. The Knight Police chased after her while shooting its two machine pistols. Kallen was having difficulty trying to avoid the shots and then suddenly looked down at her mother which disgusted her.

"I don't need you! I don't want you!" Kallen defiantly shouted as she lifted her left arm that held her mother.

Kallen tried to throw her own mother away but her feelings prevented her doing it though. Her Burai's land spinners were suddenly shot off and her machine slid down onto the ground.

"Go on…run, get moving you idiot!" Kallen screamed out to her mother.

Kallen's mother looked up towards the Burai and said…

"I'm here for you. I'm here for you Kallen. I'm here as I always has been."

Kallen was shocked to hear this revelation.

"Then that's…that's why you stayed in my father's house…you stayed there for me. You fool! Or maybe…I'm the fool. Ugh…"

The Knightpolice was now right behind Kallen's frame and had its knife ready to use. It started to swing down until…

(Back to Rai's POV)

"I'll go back up Kallen." I said as I got my Burai ready to give chase.

"Wait Rai…There's another one!" Tamaki shouted out.

After looking around, I saw another Knight Police aiming at Kallen from behind a container.

"Oh no you don't!"

I immediately took aim and pulled the trigger for my assault rifle. The bullets penetrated the Knight Police's thin armor with ease. The pilot ejected as his machine was destroyed.

"Yes!" Tamaki said.

"Good job." Ohgi congratulated me.

I immediately went to go support Kallen. Kallen's frame had fallen down, with its right arm already shot off along with both of its legs gone, and the other Knight Police was about to attack her cockpit with its knife. Seeing that, I suddenly felt a surge of adrenaline flow through my body as I made my knightmare charge in.

"You get away from her!"

I rammed my machine against the enemy with all my might as I knocked it against a nearby wall. The enemy's escape system received damage as it activated, making it eject the wrong way and landed nearby. I ignored him as I tried to connect with Kallen.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked over the communicator.

"Yeah, thanks for that." Kallen responded back.

Afterwards, Kallen got out of her Burai and ran up to the woman she had kept protecting throughout the battle. I got out of my own Burai and approached as well. The lady seemed to be on Refrain, sitting there quietly with a peaceful expression on her face, not looking Kallen's way at all.

"Kallen…Who is this person…?" I asked her.

"She's… my mother…" Kallen slowly answered.

That's…her mother? I looked at Kallen and then at the person she claimed to be her mother. They do have somewhat of a similar appearance. I suddenly felt like I shouldn't be standing here and started to walk away. Tonight had been fairly tough on Kallen. That's quite understandable. Since it involves her family, more so, her own mother, the pain in her heart must be deep. As I was walking away the other members of the Black Knights went to go check on Kallen's Burai.

"Damn, the whole frame is messed up." Tamaki said looking at the machine.

"There's no way we can fix this." Sugiyama said.

"I think it would be best to just leave it here. We can't really use it for anything now." Inoue suggested.

"Kallen can have a new knightmare once those shipments from Kyoto come in. According to Zero, we're supposed to get a bunch of new knightmares, including a new model. Maybe Zero will let her use that one." Ohgi said.

When I got back to my Burai I was ready to get in it when I noticed the cockpit of the knightpolice I defeated earlier was beginning to open. The officer who was in it got out and looked very angry for some reason, probably because he lost. He suddenly looked over at Kallen, pulled a gun out and pointed it at her.

"Damn Elevens!"

I immediately took action and pulled the gun Zero gave me earlier today out. Not knowing how to use it correctly I did the only thing that I could do with it and threw it at him. The gun flew in the air like a boomerang and whacked the officer in the head. Not knowing what hit him, he began looking at the floor to see what weapon it was. This gave me plenty of time to move and I immediately went over there and punched the police officer in the face which was enough to knock him out cold. Zero took noticed of this and walked over to where I was.

"That was very amusing Rai…Very interesting. But that's not how you use a pistol you know." Zero pointed out.

"Yeah, I know…But I had to do something and that was the only thing I knew what to do at the moment." I said.

"So you're saying you forgot how to use a gun as well because of your missing memories?"

"No, it's not that. It's more like I just don't know how to use those kinds of weapons at all."

"But you're able to use the guns of a knightmare though."

"That's different though…All I have to do there is push a button for the knightmare to use the weapons."

"That's true…In any case I'll be taking these." Zero said as he took back the gun I threw earlier as well as the officer's gun.

(Outside Rai's POV)

At that same time, C.C., who was also in the hideout and witnessed the entire event there, was standing on top of a container that let her view the entire warehouse and was speaking out to someone even though no one was near her.

"I just knew he would turn out to be a fascinating guy…He really is good at piloting those things and he sure does have one heck of a right hook…I have to say, your boy sure does know how to keep things interesting…Yes, I know…I'll continue to watch over him…Stop pestering me about it…E.E."

(Back to Rai's POV)

We had seized the hideout where they were stockpiling refrain. Kallen had already left to go check on her mother who was at the hospital while the rest of the group tried to figure out what to do with all this Refrain.

"Now then, about this Refrain. We seized a considerable amount of it, but what do we do with it now?" Sugiyama said wondering what to do.

"We dispose of it of course. We should either burn it and bury it, or boil it and pour it down the drain." Inoue suggested.

"But doesn't this stuff have a considerable street price? With this much we could make huge funds for the Black Knights." Tamaki said.

"Hey, even as a joke that's…" Minami said.

"That's right…We are those who use justice. Burn up all the Refrain. We'll make a video of it and report it to the public attention." Zero ordered.

"I…I get it already. But, this thing sends you on a trip to your happy past, doesn't it? Maybe…Rai, couldn't this stuff let remember your lost memories?"

My past, I wonder if it would really let me remember? This Refrain…But then I suddenly remembered what it did to Kallen's mother and how Kallen was hurt because of it. No, even if it could bring back my memories, that's not the correct way to do it. I'm going to do things my way, even if it my memories remain lost forever.

"Stop joking around! You don't seriously think I would use such a thing do you?" I snapped back at him.

"Hey, don't get so angry, I was only joking." Tamaki apologetically said.

I just scoffed at him and decided to walk out of the hideout. When I got outside I saw Ohgi sitting on some falling rocks.

"Hey Rai…" Ohgi called out to me.

"Yes?"

"It's about Kallen's mother…It's been decided that she will have a twenty year sentence in prison."

"Is that so…"

"I've known Kallen since she was just a little child. I also knew her mother, who was very kind and good at cooking as well. In the old days Kallen, her older brother Naoto and I would play together, and the three of us would be treated to a wonderful feast for dinner. In order to watch over Kallen, that person gave up everything. After all that, I guess she finally turned to drugs. Before Britannia invaded it was peaceful here. It was truly peaceful. That's why I don't believe that taking this path was a mistake. I will definitely change Japan, no matter what it takes."

"Wait a minute; you said she had an older brother right?"

"Yeah…she did."

"What do you mean she did?"

"Well we're not one hundred percent sure, but back when we were a resistance cell we were led by Kallen's older brother, Naoto. He was a great leader and a good friend of mine. On one of our resistance attacks against Britannia though, we were retreating from a losing battle when we lost contact with him."

"You lost contact with him?"

"Yeah, the rest of us thought the Britannian soldiers caught him."

"What happened to him?"

"Well we're not exactly sure if they found him, killed him, or captured him. His body was never found on the battlefield and Britannia never made any official announcement related to him either. But then again, he is half Britannian and he does belong to the noble Stadtfeld family so maybe he used those facts to his advantage to escape. Or maybe his father might have bailed him out somehow and is keeping it a secret to everyone. His father did left for the homeland after his disappearance and hasn't been back ever since. Although, I honestly have no idea."

"But there's still a chance that he is alive somewhere right?"

"Well, there's a small chance that he might be alive somewhere in this world but the rest of us find that hard to believe."

"Hmm…well, I hate to say this but I have to go now. I'll be back when Zero has the next operation ready."

"Yeah, you take care of yourself."

"You too."

I then headed on back to Ashford. As I was walking back I began thinking to myself as I looked up towards the night sky. Kallen's mother…and her older brother Naoto. After everything that has happened tonight, I think I'm starting to understand Kallen's feelings more clearly and all the hardships she has to endure. And…I also wonder where my mother is right now. Does she still care for me? Is she worried about where I am right now? Since I don't have any memories of my mother I have forgotten what it feels like…a mother's love. Also, I wonder if I have any siblings. I can only wonder what feelings like those are like.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	11. Chapter 11

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 11: Battle At Narita

"Wow, it's amazing!" A Black Knights soldier said as he saw the knightmares lined up in the Black Knights hideout.

"These are Glasgows right?" Another member questioned.

"No, these are Burais, a Japanese modification." One of the members corrected him.

"I've never seen these before!"

"Man, the Black Knights has some serious muscle power now."

"It wasn't easy to team up with the BK you know."

"So that makes us special huh?"

"We are the elites!"

The hideout today was very lively and animated. It was said that Kyoto had sent us goods and material to support us after having acknowledged the Black Knights' activities. Also, at the same time, the number of applicants to join the Black Knights also increased, augmenting our forces with the surprising amount of new members and equipment. I have come out to the hideout today because the Black Knights were going to hold a battle exercise up in the Narita mountains. Since today was a holiday there were no classes being held which meant I was able to come here without causing any problems at school. As I was walking around the hideout I suddenly heard someone call out to me.

"Rai, take a look at this!"

I turned around and saw that it was Kallen who was calling out to me. I walked over to where she was and I noticed that in front of us was a machine that I haven't seen before. Unlike the other knightmares here, this unfamiliar knightmare was painted in scarlet and had been put in the back of the hangar. Its silhouette stood out when compared to the sharp outline of the Burai, and its right hand was so big to the extent it was unbalanced. It could almost be called a deformity.

"What kind of machine is this?" I asked her.

"This is the very first Japanese-made Knightmare. It's called the Guren Mk-II. It's said that its speed per unit time is 1.6 times better than the Britannian army's main unit, the Sutherland. Because its armor was made to correspond with its output, its defensive power is also high. It also has a new weapon called the Radiation Wave."

"I see…Will you be the one piloting it?"

"Yes, Zero entrusted it to me…"

Tightly clenching the Guren's key, Kallen looked up at the frame. The light of strong determination dwelled in her eyes.

"Now then, it seems the hiking preparations have all been completed."

I turned to where the voice was coming from and saw Zero appear from the darkness. As usual, he's a man who appears abruptly.

"As well as knightmares, we've prepared every kind of firearms and even excavating equipment. This seems like a lot for just a hiking trip." I told him.

"We're going to the Narita mountain range, right?" Kallen asked Zero.

"That's also where the Guren Mk-II will make its debut. I'm counting on you, Kallen." Zero said.

"Yes sir!" Kallen happily said.

Once everything was prepared we headed off for the Narita Mountains.

(Black Knights: Zero/Lelouch's POV)

As the Black Knights were preparing their way up the mountainside, Zero was also getting ready to set his plan into action. He first went to a JLF cottage that was positioned in the Narita Mountains. He simply opened the door which surprised the JLF soldiers sitting in there.

"Zero!" The soldiers cried out and immediately stood up.

"Relax, I only came here to talk." Zero then took off his mask, revealing himself as Lelouch, and activated his Geass which formed in his left eye.

"I want you to ignore any unusual activities during your watch today."

Lelouch said as he stared at the two soldiers. The soldiers did as they were told and sat back down to continue their checker game. While waiting for the Black Knights to arrive Lelouch sat down and read a book until he looked out the window to see C.C. standing out there. He went outside to see why she was here.

"C.C., what are you doing here?" Lelouch called out to her.

"I said that I would protect you didn't I?" She responded back.

"You're overdoing it you know."

"I've been wondering about something…Why are you Lelouch?"

"I don't have time to discuss philosophy with you."

"You changed your family surname to Lamperouge but you kept Lelouch, the name given to you at birth. How sentimental, you can't let go of the past."

"Well C.C. swings to the other extreme doesn't it? It's not a human name."

C.C. simply turned towards him when she heard that as the wind blew by. After a moment of silence she finally said something to him.

"Lelouch, do you know why snow is white?"

"Of course not."

"Snow is white because it has forgotten what color it is supposed to be, just like a certain silver hair boy we know."

"Look, snow may be white, but snow is still wonderful…I don't hate it."

C.C. simply smiled when she heard Lelouch say that.

(Back to Rai's POV)

When Zero sent us the signal from a far way location we started to trek up the Narita Mountains. As we were climbing the others started to question what was going to happen.

"Hey, why doesn't Zero just use the radio on his Burai?" Tamaki asked.

"What do you suppose he meant when he said hiking." Inoue sarcastically said.

"Um, military training right?" Sugiyama said.

"Only with Zero in another location?" Tamaki called out.

"Maybe we'll take a hot spring." Minami said jokingly.

"Is that why we brought those excavators? Then hell, I'm all for it." Sugiyama said.

"Kallen, you heard anything about this?" Tamaki asked Kallen.

"No, I haven't." Kallen replied.

"You Ohgi?" Tamaki asked Ohgi next.

"Nope, not a word." Ohgi responded.

"How about you Rai?" Tamaki tried asking me now.

"I haven't heard anything either." I replied back.

"I see. It's because this place is the main base of the Japanese Liberation Front. I wonder whether we're going to do something, but I can't help but think about what's under that mask. It's hard to trust someone like that, don't you think so?" Tamaki questioned me.

After thinking for a moment I gave him my response.

"It's too late for that now. Now that we're here, we have no choice but to have faith in him…in Zero."

"I already know that. You seem awfully calm about it though…"

It was true that everyone wanted to know who was beneath the mask of Zero, including myself. I guess if I really wanted to I could just use my Geass to make Zero take off his mask and reveal himself. But then again I figured that Zero was wearing a mask because he had some awful scar on his face that he didn't want anyone to see or that he simply didn't want the Britannian Army to see his face for whatever reason. Whatever the case, I have to honor Zero's decision and just let him be a mystery to everyone.

Without being given a clear plan of operations from Zero, the Black Knights arrived at the Narita mountains with all its forces. When we arrived in the vicinity of the mountaintop, we set up the excavation equipment as Zero indicated and then I waited in my Burai. What was going to happen now? I then saw Zero arrive in his Burai. He came out and started talking to Ohgi about the situation.

"Are you really going through with this?" Ohgi asked Zero.

"Our opponent is Cornelia. Her forces are said to be the best Britannia has to offer."

"Then why don't we cooperate with the JLF?"

"What was that? Ohgi, don't you believe in me anymore?"

"What do you mean? I was the one who asked you to be our leader. Don't you remember?"

"Then there's only one answer to give."

"Oh…right."

Suddenly, a huge formation appeared in the sky. Britannian knightmares descended one after another and flooded the base of the mountain from all directions.

"It's begun." Zero said as if he was expecting this to happen.

"What the hell? You got to be kidding me! Those troops coming in had this area totally surrounded! There's no way out! We can't possibly win against all these enemies!" Tamaki screamed out.

"Our path of retreat has already been cut off. The only way to survive now is to fight." Zero calmly said.

I see, so it's like that…Like he said before, this place is the main base of the JLF, the largest resistance organization in Japan. From the amount of fighting power the Britannian army had gathered here at Narita, it seemed they were going to start a full-blown mop-up operation after this. It seemed like the Viceroy, Cornelia, was starting to move. Zero must have gotten information about this somewhere beforehand and decided to intervene in the battle. The fact that I can understand all this means I must have knowledge and possibly even experience military battles like this one. In that case…

My thoughts were suddenly interrupted by the complaints of the other team members.

"What, we can't fight the Britannians!" Inoue called out.

"Let me get this straight. We're surrounded and you want us to fight them head on?" Tamaki shouted out.

"We'll be fighting against Cornelia! Her forces are far stronger than anyone we've encountered!" Sugiyama said.

"Correct, it would be a miracle if we somehow win this." Zero calmly said.

"Zero, what are you saying?" Ohgi turned towards Zero.

"Even Messiahs must perform miracles in order to be acknowledged. Therefore, we must produce our own miracle won't we?" Zero proclaimed.

"Now look, pulling this off isn't going to be cheap. The price could be our lives…I knew it was a mistake to make you our leader, it should be me!" Tamaki said as he pulled his gun out and pointed it at Zero. Zero quickly responded by pulling his own pistol out and pointed it at Tamaki. This caused Tamaki to immediately stop. A moment later Zero pointed his at the ground.

"Our path of retreat has been cut off. If you think you can win without me then shoot me, someone, anyone!"

Everyone seemed to be surprised be what Zero said, well, except me. I knew exactly what Zero was trying to do. He's trying to create a circumstance that will stir up the Black Knight soldier's instincts to live; thereby making them tackle the battle ahead with desperation. And the members who survived till the end this battle wouldn't just grow as soldiers with the experience of battle. If Zero, who had been admired so much up till now, could create such a miracle, everyone would want to follow him in the future. A pretty extreme battle tactic if you ask me though.

"Since you joined the Black Knights, you had only two choices, you may live with me…or you may perish with me!" Zero challenged the members.

"All right, fine, do whatever you want." Tamaki said.

"We acknowledge you as our leader Zero." Sugiyama proclaimed.

"Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Now everyone, please look at this."

I was sent battlefield data from Zero's Burai.

"There is a concentration point of enemy forces that can't be ignored if we are to successfully execute this operation. I'd like to send out a detachment to go deal with this."

"Should I go?" Kallen suggested.

"No, you can't do that. It will be difficult to capture Cornelia without the Guren. In these circumstances, this degree of confinement is fine. It would be unwise for us to disperse our forces."

Zero quickly organized a detachment and had them immediately depart. The main force which stayed back also began preparing for battle.

"The Britannian army is already finishing their encirclement. We will have little time once they've confirmed the location of the JLF's stronghold. However, we will divide Cornelia's forces. We'll isolate her from the rest and then capture her. We will create a miracle here!"

Divide their forces? How on Earth was he going to do that? The Black Knights don't have that much fighting power. Zero seemed to have noticed my confusion and walked over to my Burai to call me out.

"Rai, let me ask you something. What kind of tactic do you think I'll use here?" Zero questioned me.

After looking around my surrounding I finally came up with an answer.

"Dropping something down from a high plateau like this place is the classic strategy. I'm guessing that those things stuck in the rock face will be used as tools to cause a landslide down the mountain. With the enemy divided and in chaos, you can use a surprise attack to capture or kill the enemy commander. For a minority like us to beat a large enemy like Britannia, there isn't any other choice of action but this."

"Hmm…There's a strong possibility that you've been in an army or a resistance group of some kind before now, in your past."

"Huh…What do you mean?"

"The strategy you spoke of was logical and reasonable. You know the basics of tactics, and you know how war works. That wasn't the ramblings of an ordinary citizen."

I couldn't argue with Zero's words. After coming here, things concerning battle seemed to pour out one after another inside my thoughts, like the mind of someone who experienced battle.

"I think that the atmosphere of battle that will fill the Narita mountain range might help stimulate your memory. I hope this atmosphere will satisfy you to your heart's content. However, I don't want to see you die yet. That's an order. Now that the enemy has discovered the JLF's headquarters, we aim for the moment when they attack. For now, stay on standby inside your Burai."

"Roger."

"Okay Kallen, decide it with this shot." Zero called out to her.

"Yes sir."

Kallen then placed the Guren's right arm on top of the excavator and pushed the spike into the ground. She then started to activate the radiation wave.

"Output confirmed…Wave surger ready and holding…Activating gauntlet now!"

Immediately following that, an enormous avalanche of water and earth gushed out of the mountain's surface, a mudslide started to head down from the mountain crushing all the knightmares of both the JLF and the Britannian Military. The mudslide went all the way down the mountain and even crashed its way into the city below.

(Britannian Military: Suzaku's POV)

"Oh my, at this rate they'll be swept away towards the bottom." Lloyd said as he watched the number of knightmares being defeated increasing on the IFF screen.

"These heat ratings are abnormal. You believe a hydroboltic eruption was artificially induced?" Cecile questioned.

"Impossible…unless someone used Rakshata's Radiate Wave Surger." Lloyd explained.

"Did something happen?" Suzaku questioned from his cockpit.

"But it has nothing to do with us so just relax and continue waiting." Lloyd said.

"Right." Suzaku responded.

"By the way…did that silver haired kid ever gave you a response about joining the Britannian Military?" Lloyd asked Suzaku.

Suzaku came back out of his cockpit to give Lloyd a clear answer.

"Oh, do you mean Rai? I did get a chance to talk with him at school one day but he told me that he wasn't interested and that he would rather stay in school."

"Well isn't that a disappointment. And here I already customized one of those new prototypes to fit his fighting standards. I guess Miss Cecile and I are going to have to change it back to its original settings now. Oh if only we have more capable devicers around to test these prototypes out. I would hate to have to give the other machine away like we did with the 'Grail' already." Lloyd said displeased.

"It was his decision after all and I wasn't going to force him. Besides, maybe it would be better for him to stay in school anyways."

"Oh, and why's that?" Lloyd asked.

"Well you see…there's this girl that Rai hangs out with at school. If he were to join the military though, I fear he won't be able to see her that much anymore. I would hate for them to be separated because of something that I did."

"So is this person his girlfriend or something?" Cecile questioned him.

"Well they never made any official statement or anything but I think it's heading in that direction. I believe he would be safer with her than with me anyways." Suzaku proudly said.

(Back to Rai's POV)

"Kallen, Rai, follow me." Zero commanded.

"Yes, sir." Kallen obediently replied.

"Understood…" I said as I started to follow Zero's Burai.

With Zero at the head, we dashed and weaved between the slope's trees. Having already lost any chance of escape, we charged into the enemy with a desperate thrust. Was this also part of Zero's calculations? Driving his comrades into a last stand, without being concerned about involving the JLF or the city at the base of the mountain. What cool-headed calculations.

"Knightmares are approaching from the east." Kallen said.

"As expected, they seem to have unexpectedly lost some of their forces." Zero mused.

Looking at the battle data as we headed towards the isolated Cornelia, it seemed there were still enemies left who had been separated into different troublesome places.

"Rai, while we go subdue Cornelia, you hold this group of units back." Zero ordered.

"I understand."

"I'll send you some companions. Kobayashi, Okino, Yamasaki. They'll accompany you."

"That's unnecessary…We don't have the room to spare excess military forces. I'll intercept them with just my own unit." I calmly told Zero.

Ideally, I would want the same number of units as the enemy. No, I would want several times their own numbers. But that's only in a situation where there are sufficient forces on our side to act as support. The divided, reserve forces don't exist among the Black Knights, who were, from the start, few in numbers. The frames are an especially important military resource. It's natural for a single unit to be placed in multiple major battlegrounds.

"Oh…Is that so." Zero murmured to himself.

"Zero, under no circumstances should a single unit fight alone!" Kallen protested.

"Kallen, this person said that he'll intercept them alone. He understands the main point of this mission. And remember, this is the same person you recommended for his amazing battle strategies and knightmare combat abilities."

"But even so…"

"With this he has a chance of succeeding."

"Don't worry Kallen, I'll be fine. I can handle this." I reassured her.

"…Then promise me that you will come back alive okay?"

"Roger that."

"Go, Rai! We'll see each other again after this battle." Zero said as he, Kallen and the others went on ahead.

"Yeah, until then."

Making myself turn around, I exited from the surrounding trees. There were several other infantry here as back up. But I wouldn't be able to depend on them for this. The enemy consisted of five Sutherlands. However, I have no choice but to do this. Although, if I use my surroundings to my advantage in this circumstance, I may be able to do something even if my frame is inferior. Let's see, my Burai weapons consists of two slash harkens, one assault rifle, one stun tonfa on its left arm, and if I really need to, I could even use my knightmare's fists if I have to. Right now I have three choices at my disposal. Should I attack cautiously and diminish them with certainty, should I attack at once and finish them quickly, or should I lure the enemy away to where the backup forces are?

After giving it some thought I decided that I can't give the enemy any time to think. I took aim at one frame and fired my assault rifle immediately. My bullets hit it, but I couldn't destroy it. In order to quickly move toward a tree shielded area I ran down the mountain. Immediately hiding myself among the trees, I let the chasing Sutherland go past me. I then took my Burai out of the tree which it had been hiding behind, and aimed at the back of the passing Sutherland. The enemy pilot noticed me but it was already too late. With a direct hit from the assault rifle bullets, the Sutherland went tumbling down the slope. Well that's one down.

I then moved my Burai and returned to my original position. This time the enemy didn't immediately chase after me, after having one of their units destroyed. First they would have to make sure they were ready. Now then, what should my next action be?

The enemy had become wary and taken their distance. But this situation could be undone with just one turn of the assault rifle. While facing and firing bullets at the enemy Sutherlands, I quickly headed towards the area where the back-up forces were. Taking my invitation, the Sutherlands chased after me. And then, after passing the area where the back-up forces were lying in wait, the Sutherlands were concentrated by gunfire and two of them were destroyed this time. Okay, that's two more down. Just two more left. The surviving Sutherlands tried to withdraw from this area, but…I braced myself and prepared for my next action. I have three choices at my disposal. Should I attack cautiously and diminish them with certainty, should I attack at once and finish them quickly, or should I lure the enemy away back to where the backup forces are?

The same strategy won't work twice and I would be at a disadvantage here if this dragged on. I made my Burai charge forward and attack. The enemy noticed me coming and started to fire off their assault rifles. They managed to aim accurately at me. However, I used the trees and rocks to fill up the space between us. I slipped up to one of the Sutherland's chest and hit him directly with my stun tonfa. I then suddenly realized that it wasn't finished off yet. My step-in had been too shallow. Holding its ground, the Sutherland fired its Slash Harkens at my frame. The harkens hit me but I don't think the damage was critical. I can still fight back. After I somehow managed to reorganize myself, I fired back my own Slash Harkens and finally managed to get a direct hit on him as the harkens went into the Sutherland's shoulders. I then used the harkens to drag the enemy unit face down on the ground. The Sutherland finally went down. Okay, now there should be only one unit left to take out. In order to destroy him though, I'll have to settle it quickly.

The distance between me and the enemy is small. At this distance, my stun tonfa might be effective. I'll be at a disadvantage if I go defensive. I have to keep attacking and put the pressure on them. I went right up to the Sutherland and slammed my Burai's stun tonfa into the Sutherland's chest. With the damage having reached its power unit, the Sutherland fell backwards but not before throwing something into the air. The Sutherland then hit the ground as it gave off explosive flames. I then looked up to see what the Sutherland threw and realized it was a Chaos Mine. Crap, there's no way that my Burai will be able to get out of the way in time. I'll have to eject and leave the machine behind in order to save myself. I then ejected from my Burai and watched as the Chaos Mine activated and needles sprouted out from it. The needles then rained down on my Burai and it eventually exploded from taking too much damage. My cockpit eventually stopped at a safe location in the forest where there was no enemy units around. I then began to wonder what I should do next. Well, I did my job, I defeated the five Sutherlands that were in our way and we only lost my Burai. I guess I'll just sit here in my cockpit and await further orders from Zero. After all, it's up to the rest of the guys to finish this operation. I wonder how everyone else is doing.

(Black Knights: Zero/Lelouch's POV)

Burn the bridges behind you and keep your backs against the wall. Classical strategies remain as the effective ones, don't they? Lelouch thought to himself as he headed for Princess Cornelia's location. He then had to stop when a few Sutherlands appeared before him.

"Is Zero here? If he is, then face me, come forward and face Jeremiah Gottwald!"

"Well, well, it's been a while Jeremiah. So you're still in the army? I would love to stay and catch up with you, but I'm afraid I don't have time right this minute, Orange."

"ORANGE…DIE!"

The Sutherland then charged forward but suddenly stopped when Kallen and her Guren jumped in and knocked the assault rifle out of the Sutherland's hand with its fork knife. The Sutherland then retracted its two Stun Tonfa.

"Lord Jeremiah!" Viletta called out.

"Stay out of this! This is my battle!" Jeremiah insisted.

"But look at it. I never seen a knightmare like that one before. Is it possible that the Elevens have…"

"You think Elevens are capable of such technology?"

Jeremiah's Sutherland then charged forward and swung one of his tonfa but Kallen was able to easily stop it with her Guren's right hand. Jeremiah then tried to swing his other tonfa but Kallen simply jumped away and came back down trying to hit Jeremiah with the knightmare's foot. Jeremiah backed away and then Kallen came right up to the Sutherland and her knife clash with Jeremiah's tonfa.

"Is this the one who took out all those other units?" Jeremiah wondered.

"Yeah that's right Britannia! We can finally fight you on equal footing head on, and our counterattack begins with this baby the Guren Mk-II!"

Kallen then grabbed Jeremiah's Sutherland with its right hand and then proceeded to activate the radiation surger. The Sutherland then started to fall apart and eventually exploded as Jeremiah's cockpit finally ejected. Kallen then proceeded to take out the other Sutherlands until they finally decided to retreat.

"I won't lose. Not with this…Guren Mk-II." Kallen proudly said.

_"All our tasks here have been cleared. The pieces are in position. The only thing left to do is to checkmate my opponent's stronghold."_ Zero said to himself.

(Britannian Military: Suzaku's POV)

"_I can't contact general Alex. It looks like the second division has been wiped out!" _Lloyd has been checking in on the current situation when Suzaku called out to him.

"Lloyd, what's going on?"

"Hmm…Very unnatural."

"Unnatural?"

"There's seems to be unconfirmed reports that the Black Knights has made an appearance."

"That means…Zero…" Suzaku murmured.

"Congratulations, this is our chance!"

"You're so rash." Cecile commented.

"Huh…why's that?" Lloyd asked.

"Would you like a detailed explanation?" Cecile asked with a smile.

"Uh…no, I'll pass." Lloyd said disapproving the idea.

Lloyd then tried to set up a communication line to Princess Euphemia.

"Well hello there. The Camelot crew is here reporting for duty." Lloyd happily said.

"Insolence!" A Britannian officer said.

"Your orders are to keep silent and observe!" Another officer said.

"Umm, yes, normally we would but…" Cecile was then interrupted by Lloyd.

"But all this waiting around is boring."

Euphemia then noticed that Suzaku was there.

"Sub-viceroy Euphemia, I beseech you, please order us into the battle." Suzaku politely asked.

"How transparent!" An officer cried out.

"You just want the glory of rescuing the Viceroy!"

"Our whole army is out there! You think one unit will make a difference?"

"Especially with an Eleven pilot!"

"Right, right, but what's the harm in trying. Since it's just one unit, it won't look bad for you if we lose." Lloyd proposed.

"Yes, I understand. Please go." Euphemia ordered.

"We got it!" Lloyd happily yelled.

"Thank you very much." Cecile thanked the sub-viceroy.

"Right, I won't fail." Suzaku promised.

Suzaku then started up the Lancelot.

"Advanced weapon Lancelot, utilizing sand panels to climb liquefied slopes at high speed and rescue the Viceroy." Cecile said as she got everything ready to go.

"Yes, my lord." Suzaku proudfully said.

"Suzaku, there's one thing I want to ask you." Lloyd asked.

"What's that?"

"More than anything, you hate when people die. Yet you're in the military. Why is that?"

"I'm in the military to stop people from dying." Suzaku promptly said.

"And that self-contradiction will get you killed someday." Cecile then grabbed Lloyd's collar and pulled him away from the screen.

"Lancelot, now launching."

Suzaku then starting to head up the slope in the Lancelot.

_"I know…if I use the Varis Rifle on that fallen debris then…"_ Suzaku began wondering to himself.

(Black Knights: Zero/Lelouch's POV)

Kallen had finally caught up with Cornelia down in a crevice.

"Cornelia!" Kallen said as she charged at Cornelia's Gloucester in her Guren.

"Lowborn scum!" Cornelia then attacked with her Gloucester's lance but Kallen dodged the strike. Kallen then tried to attack with her Guren's right arm but Cornelia used the Slash Harkens to get to the top of a cliff.

"What's this…that's not just a customized unit." Cornelia thought to herself.

Zero then tried to shoot some bullets at her but she noticed them coming her way and went back towards the crevice. He then tried to open a communication line.

"Can you hear me, Cornelia. This is checkmate."

"Zero?"

"Yes, should we celebrate our reunion? Of course, you'll have to surrender to us and come out of there first. And after that, there are a few questions I want to ask you. Oh, and in case you're wondering, your reinforcements won't get here in time. I win Cornelia."

"You're a fool Zero. This one…if I defeat this one…I'm free in the clear."

Cornelia said as she looked at the Guren. She then used her Gloucester's assault rifle to shoot at the Guren and then shot out one of her harken. The Guren easily jumped over the shots and also caught the harken.

"You got some moves!" Cornelia said and then tried attacking it with the lance but the Guren caught it with its right arm. Kallen then proceeded to use the radiation surger to destroy the lance. Right after that Zero used his assault rifle to knock the assault rifle out of Cornelia's Gloucester.

"Coward, attacking from behind!" Cornelia accused Zero.

"Really, and your own attack pattern don't show acts of cowardice."

Zero was ready to go in for the capture when the ground suddenly shook and the Lancelot appeared from a hole in the ground.

"Viceroy, are you alright? I came to help your highness." Suzaku asked Cornelia.

"Special Corps, who authorized you?" Cornelia questioned Suzaku.

"Hey, isn't that Knightmare…" Tamaki began to say.

"Yeah, it's the one from Shinjuku and Lake Kawaguchi." Ohgi finished saying.

"Again, it's him again!"

Zero was frustrated to see the white knightmare and began shooting at it with his assault rifle. The Lancelot was able to form a shield to protect itself though.

"Guren Mk-II, destroy that unit! It interfered with us enough!" Zero ordered.

"I'm on it." Kallen said as she charged in with the Guren.

The Lancelot began shooting its Varis Rifle but the Guren was able to easily slide by the shots. Once she got in close the Lancelot tried to kick her but she grabbed it with her right hand and used the radiation surger to melt the leg. The Lancelot had to eject the sand panel in order to free itself.

"Now you'll pay for Shinjuku!"

Kallen yelled as she charged at the Lancelot but got pushed back and then it pulled out its Varis Rifle and one of its MVS Swords. As Kallen headed back the Lancelot continued to shoot out Varis blasts at her although she managed to dodge them.

"It's as fast as the Lancelot." Suzaku wondered to himself.

Kallen then headed back towards the Lancelot for another attack but then it kicked its other Sand Panel at her. She knocked it away with the fork knife and headed towards the side of the cliff where the Lancelot was. The Lancelot tried to hit the Guren with the MVS Sword but it ducked and tried to retaliate with the fork knife. The Lancelot then jumped away and tried to use the Slash Harkens on its wrist. Kallen used some radiation in her right hand to destroy the Harken.

"Is that all you got!?" Kallen screamed as the Lancelot came back for more.

The Guren then swung its fork knife at it but the Lancelot dodged it and began spinning its sword around itself. The Guren then caught the sword with its right hand and tried to destroy it with the radiation surger little realizing that her landspinners were starting to fall off the cliff. The Lancelot let go of its sword and tried to shoot its Varis once again. The Guren immediately pulled its right hand up and blocked it with some radiation. But it wasn't able to maintain it long and the ground it was standing on broke off. The Guren then starting to fall down the cliff with Kallen screaming inside. Tamaki and Ohgi's Burais came to check on her.

"Hey, are you okay?" Ohgi asked Kallen.

"I am." Kallen replied.

"Ohgi, how's the Guren Mk-II?" Zero asked over the radio.

"The right hand is wrecked. We have to fix it." Ohgi responded.

"Tch…Retreat…All Black Knights moved to your escape points. This has become a war of attrition." Zero commanded to his black knight comrades as he started to retreat.

"Ugh…I'm hating this retreat thing." Tamaki bluntly yelled out.

"We thrashed them, but if we keep pushing…" Oghi started to say.

"Face it, we left the JLF there as bait while we ran away." Tamaki declared.

"I hate it when you say it like that but…" Kallen admitted.

"Yeah, but people are not pieces in a chess game. Zero wouldn't think like that. If he did he would end up using us like pawns too. I don't believe he would do that. His rage is real. He hates Britannia as much as we do. And I think a person who knows rage…also knows sorrow." Ohgi confidently said.

(Back to Rai's POV)

"To all forces…Head to the escape site…We're withdrawing!" Zero said over the radio.

We're withdrawing, huh…I understand. I then got out of my cockpit and went on my escape route to go meet up with the other Black Knights members. At our rendezvous point I saw all the surviving members cheering for what was for us, a victory against Britannia. By employing a surprise attack and utilizing the geography to our advantage, Zero succeeded in cutting through the divided Britannian forces, but we seemed to have come short of harming Cornelia herself. The fruit of this battle was a victory against the Britannian army on a scale unheard of till now. The name of the Black Knights will rise even higher. However, the JFL, the largest resistance organization in Japan, had received a huge blow. Put in perspective, the result was merely a draw due to injuries on both sides. But still, a win was a win for the Black Knights. That's what I felt anyways.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	12. Chapter 12

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 12: Meeting With Kyoto

After classes was finished for the day I went out to the clubhouse to finish my student council duties as quickly as possible so I can go out to the Black Knights hideout. Kallen told me during one of my classes that Zero wanted me to go out to the hideout to make sure today's supplies came in like it should. Once I was done with my student council work I bid farewell to Milly and Shirley and went to my room to go get my Black Knights uniform.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Rai's behavior has become quite lively during these pass few day, don't you think Madam President." Shirley said to Milly.

"That's because he's hanging around with Kallen all the time, which I expected would happen." Milly answered.

"I noticed that they seem to be together all the time now but…"

"It's because of her influence on him that he begun to open up more. Yep, my plan is working out great so far." Milly said.

"Your plan, what do you mean?" Shirley asked confused.

"Well you recently started to get the idea that Lelouch and Kallen were seeing each other so I had Kallen become Rai's helper in the hope that they fall for each other. So far it looks like it's working out."

"What…is that why you made Kallen Rai's helper!?"

"Yep, I did it all for you Shirley. Now your precious Lulu should be all yours."

"Don't say it like that, and I don't need your help either. And just so you know I got a date with Lulu tomorrow." Shirley confidently said.

"Oh is that so? Well good for you Shirley."

Shirley phone suddenly rang.

"Please excuse me Madam President. I have to answer this phone call." Shirley said as she went out the door.

"Yeah, sure, go ahead." Milly said.

(Back to Rai's POV)

When I got to my room I noticed that there was something on my bed. I went over there and saw a peculiar black colored phone along with a note. I began to read what the note said.

"_This special phone is for you Rai. From now you'll be able to contact anyone in the Black Knights including myself. Make sure you destroy this note whenever you're finished reading it._

_From, Zero_

So, Zero got me a phone huh. Well wasn't that nice of him. But I have to wonder, how did Zero ever manage to get on school grounds without being seen and even more so managed to get into my room. Most of the time I have it locked up. Sometimes I think Zero has too many ways of getting around. Oh well, I placed the phone into my pocket and put my black knights uniform into a bag so no one would see it. I then went out to the hideout and while I was heading there I was suddenly thinking about what Zero told me a few days after Narita.

(Flashback: Four days ago)

I entered the command center and knocked on Zero's door. He let me in and greeted me. I also saw that C.C. was in there as well chomping down on pizza, as usual. Zero then sat down on his chair and offered me a seat next to C.C. but I declined and decided to just stand, not wanting to sit next to her.

"What did you need me for?" I asked him.

"It's nothing big, I just wanted to personally hear your account of your battle." Zero responded.

"You mean the battle at Narita right?" I asked.

"We were surprised at how well you battled with only one knightmare. You managed to survive and return despite the odds." C.C. was the one who spoke this time.

"Rai, you have done well. Thanks to your efforts, we managed to reduce the possible damage to the Black Knights by roughly 40%." Zero proudly said.

"I was only thinking of doing my best…That's all." I said as I rub my hand against the back of my head.

"There's no need for you to be modest. You managed to defeat your enemies, attract their attention, and allowed our main army to break through by taking on the role of being a diversion. You piloting abilities are excellent, but I also highly value your good judgment. I seem to have unexpectedly obtained an excellent subordinate. I'm quite grateful to Kallen for bringing you to me." Zero said as he brought his arms together in a grandiose manner.

"Did you call me here just to say this?'

"You have a problem with that?"

"Well there are other things I could be doing instead of listening to you praising me."

"Like walking around the settlement with Kallen." C.C. joked around with me.

"W-What, no, I didn't mean that." I said as I turned towards her.

"I see…But the data of your piloting abilities, by itself, certainly verifies your words on the matter."

Zero made a nearby screen displaying the data of my battle's development on his computer.

"You were constantly taking the initiative, causing disturbances, and defeating as many as you could. Even Britannia's soldiers weren't able to make you easily go down." C.C. praised me.

"That's an overstatement of my deeds. The movements of Cornelia's soldiers were magnificent. I cannot in any way be compared to them." I calmly answered.

"The difference in knightmare frames was also great. If you had been given a frame of equal quality, I truly believe your respective abilities would have shown."

Zero's words were flattering towards me. I just shrugged my shoulders in response.

"Oh yes, that's right…During the battle at Narita, the Japanese Liberation Front had some customized Burai at their disposal. They were used by the JLF's best soldiers, the Four Holy Swords."

Dashing left and right across the battleground, I looked at a scene of the JLF's custom Burai crushing an enemy's Sutherland frame.

"Rai, I've been thinking, and I discussed this with the other members as well, and I decided that I would like to make you a Battlefield Commander."

"Huh…me, a battlefield commander?" This suddenly came out of the blue.

"Yes, I think that no one else is better suited for this position other than you. So what do you say, will you accept this position?" Zero said will his hand tilted forward.

After thinking about it for a minute I gave him my answer.

"I decline."

"Huh, and why is that?" Zero confusingly said as if he was expecting a different answer.

"Sorry, I don't think I'm ready to handle that kind of responsibility yet. Besides, it's still tiring for me between my work for student council and the work I do here."

"Well, we definitely can't have you tired, especially when we go out on our operation. Never mind, just forget I even bothered to ask you. Just keep doing as you been doing for us."

"I will…"

(Back to present time)

When I arrived at the hideout I was greeted by Zero.

"How does it feel being an ally of justice?" Zero asked me.

I turned toward Zero to give him my answer.

"You judge evil regardless of whether it'd be a Britannian or an Eleven. The popularity this gives you with the people is certainly good. However, will the day come when all this leads to Britannia's defeat, I wonder?"

"If we simply used power to get what we want, we would be no different from Britannia's tyranny. We are doing this because we are people who have the power to rebel. As such, we have to use it in such a way that everyone will understand it as justice."

"Somehow, I think I understand."

"I thought you would."

It was too troublesome to think too deeply about it.

"In any case, I'll try to do my best. As an ally of justice, right?"

"Please do so. I expect much from you. Now please come to my office. There is something else I wish to discuss with you about." We then entered Zero's office.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" I questioned him.

"I've gotten into contact with Kyoto." Zero said.

"You mean the group who recently been giving supplies to us?"

"Yes, that's right. It appears they want to meet with me in person tomorrow. Are they inviting us in order to ascertain what kind of people we are? Rai, if you were in Kyoto's position, how would you face me?"

"Let me think…If I were in the other party's position, I would first make someone remove your mask. Who wouldn't be interested in seeing that?"

"That's right…I agree as well, naturally. Of course, there's no way I can comply with such a demand."

Even though Zero was the leader of the Black Knights, his true face has never been revealed to any of us. It was unlikely that he'll show it to Kyoto.

"It's unfortunate having a face that can't be shown, huh?"

"Yes, it sure is. Oh yes, there's something I'd like to ask you before you leave. How do the Black Knights appear to you?"

I think I should speak honestly here.

"Speaking in terms of the organization itself, it still has some ways to go. After all, this group is nothing more than a miscellaneous collection of various people."

"What a coincidence. I was thinking the exact same thing. But soon, I will turn this group into a true fighting army. I promise you that. Well, you can leave now and go check on those supplies."

I bowed my head and left the room. I then headed out for the hanger to see what was going on there. The exhausted Black Knights had received new supplies, and the structure of our forces has finally been completed. I then noticed that right in front of me was the Guren Mk-II, with its damaged right arm. An original Japanese Knightmare, with a special feature called the radiation wave. It was Kallen's personal unit. Along with that that special feature, its reaction time and maneuverability may even be able to match that of the White Knightmare. But the engineering and technology behind it was so sophisticated that the model wasn't suitable for mass production.

"What's wrong…Is it the Guren that you want?"

I suddenly saw C.C. appear from behind the Guren's leg. She began teasing me with her words.

"When you think of the Burai, its performance is so poor that it can't even be compared to this thing." C.C. continued on.

"Yeah, that's true."

"How about it? If you want it so much, I could negotiate with Zero and get him to give it to you."

"R-Really…?"

Certainly, it was an attractive idea. If I had this knightmare I would never lose. The Guren was definitely a desirable Knightmare. But, it was Kallen's unit. I couldn't just take it away from her.

"This unit is the so called pride of Japan, as it is, having had all Japanese engineering at its finest focused on building it. Kallen, who has the determination to change Japan, is more suitable for it than me."

"Then, is the reason for your desire of a new Knightmare because you think that you wouldn't be able to stand up against that White Knightmare with just a Burai?"

"That time at Narita…I knew. I only won because of my tactics and strategy."

"You give and devote all your power, all just to seek good results huh? You're a true man on the battlefield. The you at school is like a different person. It's like you're not human when you're here. But, that's also fine. Even if you don't have a machine to pilot, don't slack around. Both you and Kallen cannot be replaced in this organization. For now, I'll tell Zero that you only want the newest model."

"Uh yes, please do. I want to be able to fight better next time."

"Don't expect too much. What you get will depend on Kyoto."

Leaving me with those words, C.C. left the hangar and headed for Zero's office. I then noticed that it was getting late so I decided to leave and go home.

The next morning as soon as I got up I received a phone call from Zero. Apparently he wanted me to help him with something. Since I didn't have classes today I decided to go help him with whatever he needed. I hurriedly got my things together and arrived at the hideout to present myself. After entering Zero's room, he welcomed me in.

"Rai, I want you to come with me on my visit to Kyoto."

"If it's to go along with the rest of the executive members to the meeting then…"

"I want you to help me make some preparations before the actual meeting."

"Do I assume that this is a strategic operation is also a secret from the rest of the executive members?"

"Something like that…It's something that I need to do myself, but just in case I want you there to assist me. I need a quick-witted person like you, who can withdraw by himself as soon as the business is completed."

"You overestimate me too much."

"You shouldn't say that. You are quite the useful person. I have an eye for these things."

"Is that so?"

It would be rash to think that he is relying on me already. Rather, this is a test for me. We went to the meeting place with the contact from Kyoto. When Zero and I arrived he convinced the contact very easily and we snuck into the bowels of the NAC's Mt. Fuji Plant from within the car. This time, it was serving as the location for the meeting between the leading figures of Kyoto and the Black Knights. The "NAC" is the economic group in Area 11 that cooperates with Britannia. In reality, it was Kyoto, the organization that supported all the resistance groups in Area 11. I then decided to quietly talk with Zero while we were inside the building.

"Nevertheless, how did you talk that guy into it?"

"What are you talking about?"

"I mean that contact guy who guided us here. He accepted us so readily…"

"I had already talked him into letting us pass beforehand. I have co-operators everywhere in Area 11."

"I see…"

Really…somehow it didn't make sense. If that was true, then why was it kept secret from the rest of the Black Knights executives? Still, everything until now had happened too smoothly for it to just be sudden behavior on the contact's part. I felt as if Zero was trying to cover up something that happened in that time.

"But this is as far as my preparations go. If they see any intruders from this point on, they'll shoot first without asking questions."

"So, what should I do…What's my task?"

"I'm going to hijack and board one of the knightmares guarding the meeting place. In order to do that, I need you to take care of the security system's surveillance while I act."

"You mean as a decoy right?"

"That's right…You catch on quickly. You only to need attract the attention of the security guards for a short time."

Zero took out a map. Sketched in detail on it were the Mt. Fuji plant's interior design and surveillance network.

"Having already snuck inside, it should be easy for us to achieve our objective. The problem is…"

"After that whether I can successfully run away or not afterwards will be dependent on my so-called quick wittedness right?"

"That's correct."

"What about you? You say that you'll be going to the meeting place aboard a knightmare, but…"

"That won't be a problem. All the conditions will have been cleared then."

"More of your preparations, is it?"

"Well, something like that. Now, let's begin. Wait for my signal."

Acting separately from Zero, I figured out a blind spot in the surveillance network based on the base map. Nonetheless, Zero's actual actions couldn't be hidden from the sensors. Even if he can manage to cut his way through with his onsite preparations, I would have to gain control of the surveillance's control room at that precise moment in order for him to succeed. Putting on the clothes of one of the plant's workers over my Black Knights uniform just in case, I waited for Zero's signal. After he sent the signal, I came up with an idea to help me succeed. I'll try using that power. The mysterious power called Geass. While I don't like to use it that often this time I may have to use it in order to ensure I stay alive. I lied in wait at a point in the security network until a patrol guard came out and I heard footsteps approaching. I then quietly walked out.

"Huh, who are you…?" The guard said to me.

Immediately identifying me as a stranger, the guard laid a hand on the gun at his waist. I concentrated my mind as my right eye grew purple and a bird sigil appeared.

"Bring me to the control center." I ordered the guard.

"Sure, I'll show you the way…" He willingly said.

I would be seen by the cameras, but I would just look like a worker accompanying the security guard. I wouldn't seem out of place. We then arrived at the security room.

"It's in here." The security guard said.

"Thank you."

"See you later then."

Having borrowed the master key from the guy who was now leaving, I entered the control center while slamming the door open in a loud manner. All the security guards in the room and the control operator then simultaneously turned to look at me in clear surprise when I entered the room.

"Abandon your tasks here. No matter what happens, ignore it." I said with my Geass still activated.

"Yes, we understand." They all said with a red ring around their eyes. I advanced into the room and checked the surveillance monitors. Soon enough, the image of Zero entering the knightmare hangar appeared on the screen. However, neither the operator, the guards, nor anyone else reacted to it. I watched as Zero boarded a knightmare on the screen. Amazing, I had used the power called Geass to do this, but how on Earth did Zero managed to pull it off on his end?

"I'm finished here. You can withdraw now." Zero said on his communicator.

"Yes, I understand."

"I thought that there would be a commotion. You seem to have finished things on your end quite neatly."

"I suppose."

"Hmm…You've done well. Better than I expected. I'll be cutting off communications for a while. Make sure to get away successfully."

"Roger that."

Well, what to do now. The guards outside would surely notice that something was unusual soon. I should be able to get out of here if I use that power again, although…I shouldn't just rely on it. I left the control center and took out the map for the building. As the center for the security guards, this place was within the very depths of the plant. Would I be able to get out without causing any uproars, I wonder? Carefully choosing the most lightly guarded route, I successfully passed through several passages.

"Strange…My key card is missing…"

I came across a guard. What's more, it was the guard I had used Geass on before, who seemed to have come back after noticing he didn't have his master key. This was bad. He still hadn't noticed me as he continued searching through his pockets, but I couldn't run away and I can't use Geass again because it only works once on a person. I hesitated for a moment, but my body reacted first and I slipped into a nearby door, in order to let the guard pass by. The footsteps soon passed the door and the surroundings became quiet again. I breathed a sigh of relief. I could continue to let people go past this place, but then escape would become increasingly difficult. For the time being, I'll look for an alternate escape route.

(Outside Rai's POV)

While Rai was trying to figure a way out of the place Zero, Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki arrived at the meeting place with Kyoto. When they arrive they saw a figure sitting behind a tinted glass with two guards standing on opposite sides of the glass.

"I apologize for not showing my face but Zero, your face is hidden as well. Unfortunately, I can't allow this. To trust you, I must know who you are. Therefore, you will show me your face." The man said as he pointed his cane outward signaling four Burais to appear. They all had their assault rifle aimed at Zero and the others. Kallen stepped out in front of Zero with her arm stretched out in front of him.

"Please wait, Zero has given us power and victory. That should be…" The man suddenly shouted out to silence her.

"Silence…Which one of you is Ohgi?"

"That's me." Ohgi said as he stepped forward.

"You will remove Zero's mask." The man ordered.

Ohgi then walked over to Zero.

"I'm sorry Zero…but we need a reason to put our faith in you too. So help us to put our trust in you."

Ohgi then removed Zero's mask but all three of them were surprised to see it was C.C. under the mask.

"A woman is Zero!" Tamaki blurted out.

"C.C., are you really Zero?" Ohgi asked her.

"That's impossible! She's always standing next to Zero whenever they're together." Kallen protested.

"You there, girl, is this true?" The man asked C.C.

"It's true, I'm not Zero."

"So, you're not Japanese?"

"Correct, clan chief of Kyoto…Taizo Kirihara."

The two guards then became surprised when they heard that.

"Anyone who can identify him must die!" One of them said as he pulled his gun out.

"Especially someone who isn't Japanese!" The other said as he ordered the Burais to attack.

"Hey, hold on…I'm not part of this!" Tamaki screamed as he put his hands up.

One of the Burai then attacked two Burais with its Slash Harkens and knocked the Burai right next to it down with its Stun Tonfa. The Burai then moved over to where Kirihara was sitting.

"You're soft, and your methods and thinking are outdated. That is why you will never win." Zero said as he came out from the cockpit of the Burai.

"W-When did you…" The guard then pointed his gun at Zero but the other guard stopped him from firing.

"Hold on…he can fire at us with that remote. Everyone stay back, don't make a move!" The other guard said as he noticed that Zero had his finger on top of a remote. Zero then walked over to where Kirihara and the guards were at.

"Taizo Kirihara…founder of Kirihara Industry which has a monopoly on Sakuradite mining. Formerly a key actor of the Kururugi Regime. However, when Japan fell you dodged the tribunals by collaborating with the colonial rulers. Commonly known as Kirihara the traitor. In reality you are one of the leaders of the six houses of Kyoto who support resistance groups throughout Japan. A double agent, how cliché."

"Show some respect you swine." One of the guards shouted.

"Stop!" Kirihara ordered.

"It's as you guessed though…I am not Japanese!"

Kallen, Ohgi and Tamaki were surprised to hear that detail.

"Is he serious…no wonder he never showed his face." Tamaki commented.

"If you are not Japanese then why do you fight for Japan…What is it you want?" Kirihara asked Zero.

"The destruction of Britannia." Zero calmly answered.

"And so do you believe that this is possible…That you can do it?"

"I can because I must. I have reasons which compel me to do it. I'm glad I'm dealing with you." Zero then took his mask off and revealed himself as Lelouch in front of Kirihara. Kallen and the others couldn't see him though. Kirihara was surprised to see Lelouch's face.

"It's been a long time, Lord Kirihara."

"You…is it really you? It's been eight years since that family received you as a hostage."

"Yes, and I appreciate you taking care of me then."

"If I hadn't come tonight were you planning to take a messenger as hostage?"

"Not at all…I came to ask for your help. That's all I'm seeking from you."

"So the flower planted eight years ago has finally bloomed." The man then laughed in joy about who he was dealing with now and then called out to Ohgi.

"Ohgi!" Kirihara yelled out.

"Yes, what is it Kirihara?" Ohgi asked.

"This man is a true enemy of Britannia. His face must remain hidden for vital reasons. I urge you to follow Zero and I guarantee that if you do we will assist you generously with intelligence and strategic support.

"We thank you." Ohgi answered.

"I am truly thankful to you Lord Kirihara. And about that knightmare I asked for…"

"It's on its way right now along with its creator. They will be at your hideout any day now."

"Good, and there's one last thing I need you for." Zero then walked over to Kirihara and handed him a tube that contained a blood sample.

"Whose blood is this?" Kirihara questioned Zero.

"It belongs to a very useful subordinate of mine. I need to know whose family he belongs to. With the resources and technology you have it shouldn't be hard to find results."

"I see, I'll make it gets done…but Zero, are you planning to embark on the path of blood?"

"Indeed, if that is my destiny." Zero said as he put his mask back on.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I cautiously went further inside the room. Looking around once again, I saw that the room had a simple yet fairly nice appearance. Was it used for visiting guests? It had a large living room, with a huge window that displayed a view of the massive Sakuradite plant that covered Mt. Fuji's slopes. There was one person there looking out the window. A dark haired girl, wearing a traditional kimono that was reminiscent to that of a shrine maiden.

"What's going on? Things seem a little noisy out there…"

The girl must have heard me coming because she then turned around and found me standing in the room.

"Oh, and who are you?" The girl asked me.

What should I do? Should I use Geass again?

"Ah, that collar…I know! You're one of the Black Knights, aren't you?"

Seeing this as an opportunity I took action.

"Huh…oh, uh, yes. Yes I am."

She seemed to have seen underneath my work clothes and noticed my Black Knights uniform.

"Then you must be here because of today's meeting, right? Could it be that you're an envoy from Zero-sama?"

Zero-sama? If I remember correctly, Kallen told me that you use the word sama when you highly respect someone. She seems to know about the Black Knights and Zero. Moreover, she seems to have a favorable disposition towards them, based on her words and tone.

"That's right, I'm just a low ranking member, though, so I'm not anything that special."

Since she also knows about the meeting, she must be connected to Kyoto somehow. Is she perhaps a relative of the Six Houses of Kyoto?

"Zero-sama knew that I would be here, didn't he? As expected of the Black Knights."

"Huh…uh, yes. Zero sends his best regards."

"Really…That makes me so happy. That's right, how's the Guren Mk-II? The one who first arranged it to be sent to the Black Knights was me! Oh yeah, I also talked that elder, Kirihara, into giving the Black Knights another machine just like it. I hope they'll find a suitable pilot to operate it."

"Is that so…"

The sight of the girl chatting away happily as her stance and expression kept changing constantly was admirable. She didn't really look like a person who would possess such great influence but I guess appearances doesn't matter.

"But it's too bad. If possible, I wanted to attend the meeting and see Zero-sama's countenance as his future wife…"

"What…?!"

Had Zero really made arrangements to that extent? Or was this talk of marriage just an expectation from Kyoto's side?

"But, you only needed to simply come see me. After all, I'm a big fan of the Black Knights."

"Thank you for your support of the Black Knights." I said as I made a short bow.

"The Black Knights are our hope. Also, after being scattered at Narita, the Japanese Liberation Front needs time to rebuild. Please keep doing your best from now on as well!"

"Sure thing, I'll do my best to live up to your expectations."

"Oh yeah, that's right. I never told you my name didn't I? My name is Kaguya…Kaguya Sumeragi."

"Kaguya…Sumeragi…Ugh…" Whenever I heard her name a jolt suddenly went through me and I started to feel pain in my head. It was just like that time in the park and the ghettos all over again. I feel to my knees and cried out in pain as I started to see a new vision. This time it was a sunny and clear day along with an image of an open field. In that field were two people, a woman and a young girl. The woman had long black hair and was wearing a Japanese style of clothing. The girl had a hairstyle similar to Kaguya's except her hair was pink and was shorter while she was wearing a kimono. The biggest thing I noticed was that they were both happy with a smile on both of their faces and the young girl was holding an origami shaped like a cherry blossom. As I began to wonder who they were my vision returned to normal and I saw Kaguya standing right in front of me.

"Hey, mister Black Knight soldier, are you okay?" She said with a worried look on her face.

"Y-Yeah, I'm fine. I just had a bad headache is all."

"Oh, is that all…hey, now that I have a closer look at your face, I feel like I seen you somewhere before."

"Huh…what do you mean?"

"I don't know…I know that I haven't met you in person before but I'm pretty sure I saw your face on a picture or maybe on television at one time.

Before we could discuss this any further my phone then started to ring and it was Zero again. I answered the call to see what he wanted.

"Rai, what's your situation?"

"I'm still inside the plant."

"What…What are you…Never mind, I suppose that's an appropriate decision. Everything has been taken care of over here. The rest of us are returning to base. You should get out of there and return to us as well. Kallen is starting to worry about you."

"What, I never said anything like that!" I heard Kallen say on the other end of the line.

"Is that so…I better get back there quickly then." I answered.

"And here I thought you already escaped…You sure are an interesting guy." Zero chuckled as he hanged up.

"That voice…that was Zero-sama's wasn't it?" Kaguya excitingly said.

"Yes, he seems to have finished things without any problems. I have to go now too."

"Then in that case I'll guide you out of here. As long as you're with me, the guards won't think about harming you." Kaguya offered.

"Oh, well in case I'll accept your offer."

Kaguya then grabbed my hand and started to guide me out of this place even though I knew I was going to look silly holding Kaguya's hand like that. Oh well, whatever keeps me alive I guess. As we were walking along we passed by some guards but they would just ignored us or said hello to Kaguya. They didn't seem to notice or care about me even though I was only wearing my Black Knights uniform at this point. We eventually got outside and then she showed me a hidden underground tunnel that I could use to get back to the ghettos.

"You can use that tunnel to get back to your organization. Please take care of yourself mister Black Knight soldier."

"Yeah, you take care of yourself as well. Now, if you will excuse me." She then waved her hand goodbye as I disappeared into the tunnels. After walking around in the tunnels for a while I eventually arrived back in the ghettos. I then went to the hideout and entered the lounge where Zero was waiting.

"Well done…You remained in the plant in such circumstances, even after I'd completed my own task?"

"No, I was just lucky. It was only by chance that I got out alive."

"However, this result only came about from an accumulation of accurate judgment in each situation. Because you also assumed the worst case scenario every time. You're so brilliant it's almost frightening. Just what kind of secret method did you use…?"

"Oh, I didn't do anything special."

The meeting with the leaders of Kyoto seemed to have succeeded without trouble. With this, it seemed that the Black Knights will be getting more abundant support from them now. Zero may have praised my skill, but when I thought of Zero's actions then, he was the one so brilliant it was frightening. I did have a secret method. That power called Geass. Could Zero also have…? No, that's impossible…but still."

Moving on to the next Stage…


	13. Chapter 13

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 13: Zero's Blue Knight

After morning classes were finished I received a phone call from Zero during my break. I made him wait until I got on top of the school rooftop so nobody would hear me before speaking with him over the phone.

"Okay, I'm out of people's earshot now. So what did you what to talk about?" I said to Zero over the phone.

"Kyoto's newest supplies just came in. There's even something for you here. But you need to come here in person in order for me to give it to you. I would like you to have it as soon as possible. Can you come out here right now?"

"I'm sorry…I have to go back to my classes in a few minutes."

"I see…then how about during your lunch break? Would that be a more plausible time?"

"Uh…sure, I think that will work. This won't take long though right?"

"Of course not, I just need to show you a few things. I will be waiting for you in the hanger."

"Sure, see you later then."

I then turned the phone off and put it back in my pocket. I then went back downstairs to resume my classes until it was lunchtime. While several students were heading for the cafeteria, I walked off school grounds and headed for the Black Knights hideout. Once there, I headed for the hanger where Zero was waiting for me.

"You came, Rai, just like I thought you would." Zero said as he saw me approaching. I noticed that behind him was a knightmare which the maintenance workers were hastily working on. I also noticed that this knightmare was colored blue and it didn't look like a Burai. It's appearance almost looked like…

"What kind of knightmare is this?" I decided to ask Zero.

"That's the Gekka Pre-Production Test Type. A beautiful child, isn't it?"

I was a caught off guard when I heard a voice call out. I turned to where the voice was coming from and saw a woman who looked like she was of Indian descent approaching us. Zero then introduced me to her.

"This is Rakshata Chawla, the creator of the Guren Mk-II. She will be joining us from now on in order to continue getting feedback data on her knightmares."

"The Gekka Pre-Production Test Type huh…sure is a long name. Why don't you just call it the Proto-Gekka or something like that?"

"Well, what a calm reaction. Call it whatever you want, but you needn't worry about this 'Proto-Gekka'. This child is the prototype of what is going to be the mass-production model of the Guren. The necessary combat tests have already been completed by the Guren Mk-II and that girl named Kallen. Compared to the Burai, the frame response is more sensitive and the output adjustment is a bit peaky, but it should be fine if it's you. After all, its settings have been modified according to the knightmare data Zero has sent me on you.

"From now on this will be your knightmare Rai." Zero said as he tossed me the activation key for the Gekka.

"Wait…so that means…this knightmare…is mine?"

"That's right, along with Kallen's Guren, they are the two jewels of the Black Knights. And I can't think of anyone better to pilot this machine other than you. After all, this machine will assist you greatly in the new position I'm going to be giving you."

"My new position…?"

"Yes, while Kallen will be part of my own personal forces, you on the other hand will be your own special unit and will be allowed to act independently from everyone else."

"You mean I'll have complete say in what I do on the battlefield?"

"Yes, that just shows how much I value your strategic thinking and judgment. Think of yourself as a one-man army."

"Wow…that's just…"

"Oh yes, would you like to try out this machine right now? I got a new mission plan just for you."

"Wait…you mean right now?"

"Yes, that's right. In one hour Viceroy Cornelia plans to send a small military fraction stationed here in Area 11 as well as some of her own personal royal guards out in search of the JLF as well as wiping out other resistance groups in places close to the Saitama Ghettos. Kyoto has requested us, the Black Knights, to assist and defend these resistance groups from the Britannian Military. While I should be the one who undertake this operation, I want to use this chance to test out your Gekka's performance as well as how well you'll do without my assistance."

"You want me to go up against the Britannian Military by myself?"

"That's correct, I think you're quite capable of taking this challenge alone. So, will you accept this task?"

"I guess there's no avoiding it this time is there?"

"That's right, because not only will the resistors be attacked but normal Eleven citizens as well. Since we are the Knights of Justice, we must insure the safety of the weak as well as those who can't fight back."

"Because that's what it means to be a Black Knight, correct?"

"Yes, I think you're finally starting to see things my way. Come with me to my office. I'll explain in full detail of what you have to do there."

I then followed Zero to his office so he could explain the operation to me.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Today Kallen has decided to skip her afternoon classes and go out to the Black Knights hideout in order to see the new supplies that came in. She also heard that there was suppose to be a new knightmare model there as well and she wanted to see it for herself. As she walked around the hideout she saw that standing next to her Guren was a blue colored knightmare.

"So, is this the new model?" Kallen questioned out loud.

"Yes, we're calling it the Proto-Gekka now. Isn't my child just adorable?" Kallen heard a woman say from behind her. She turned around and saw a woman of Indian descent standing there with a pipe in her hand.

"Umm…excuse me but, who are you?" Kallen questioned the woman.

"My name is Rakshata Chowla, and I'm the mother of those two knightmares."

"Oh, so you're the one who made them?'

"That's correct."

"Then tell me, that thing on its left arm…"

"Yes, that's the first grade model of the Radiation surger arm. It's not as powerful as the Guren's Radiation surger but it should still be strong enough to take a knightmare out in one blow."

"I see…so who exactly is going to be piloting this frame?"

"Zero has picked out some kid with silver hair to be the pilot of the Proto-Gekka. I think his name was Rai or something."

"Huh…you mean Rai is going to be piloting it?"

Knowing that caused Kallen to smile.

"That means…Rai is finally being recognized for all of his great achievements."

"Yeah, I guess so. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to go find where Zero took that boy so we can finally go and test this machine out." Rakshata said as she starting to head for Zero's office.

(Back to Rai's POV)

"And that's about everything we know about the current situation." Zero said as he finished filling me in on what the mission plan was.

"I see…but I can't help but wonder how you were about to get all that information, about the resistance groups and the Britannian military as well."

"I already told you, I have co-operators everywhere in Area 11. Even in that school you go to."

What…even in Ashford Academy? But why would he need spies in there for. Before I could think about it any further Zero suddenly got up and said it was time to go.

"Well, that's enough planning for now, it's time to get the job done. Are you sure you're ready for this Rai?"

"Yeah…I'm ready."

"Oh yes, one last thing. I know I'm sending you out alone but just in case something does happen I'm having spare troops outside the perimeter ready to jump in should something happen to you. So please, don't feel like you're all alone out there or anything."

"I'll make note of that during my mission."

I then got up and left Zero's room. When I was outside his room I saw Rakshata holding something in her arm.

"I assume that you're ready to go now. Here, take this, your new model pilot suit." Rakshata said as she handed me a blue pilot suit. I noticed the Black Knights symbol was imprinted on the shoulder pads. It looked kind of tacky to me though.

"It's been compensated and furnished for both comfort and greater survivability."

"Oh, uh…thank you." I then quickly put on my new uniform and headed out to the hanger. When I got out to the hanger I saw Kallen standing in front of my knightmare. She must have heard me coming because she turned toward me as I approached her.

"Hey there Rai."

"Hello Kallen."

"I just heard that you're going out to test the Proto-Gekka. Hey, that must be the new pilot suit isn't it?" Kallen said as she pointed at me. I just looked down at it and then turn my head back up.

"Yeah, I guess it is. So Kallen, what's the state of your Guren?" I said as I looked over at her machine.

"There are no problems with it. We've already finished repairing the right hand from the damage at Narita."

"Next time you shouldn't overdo it as much."

"I'll be fine, I'm the ace of the Black Knights after all. Rather, will you be okay, taking independent action by yourself out there?"

"I should be fine. The performance of the Gekka is similar to the Guren's, so it's just as reliable. I'll be able to do it."

"Don't forget, it's the pilot who makes the machine, not the other way around. You were chosen to pilot this machine because of your excellent piloting skills. But, for Zero to have trusted you with this solo mission, he must have a lot of faith in you.

"Huh…Is that so…"

"Well, I'm also proud that I'm the one who found such talent."

Even I, who no one truly knew, was being relied on by the Black Knights. I would have to fight as well as Kallen. This was now my place to be. You were the one who led me to this unfortunate fate Kallen. I couldn't help but smile at that thought.

"Ah, just now, you smiled."

"Huh…Really?"

"Yeah, you only laugh sometimes, but your smiling face is quite nice to see. Well then…make sure you don't overdo it either."

"Yeah…I won't disappoint you all."

"If something does happen, you can guarantee that I'll be coming straight to your aid in my Guren."

"That's nice to know."

"Well, good luck then." Kallen then left me with those words.

Once Rakshata's team was ready we headed out for the Saitama Ghettos. While we were heading out I was reading the manual for this knightmare while sitting in the cockpit. Unlike the Burai or the Britannian Knightmares, the cockpit of this knightmare made its user stand in a motorcycle position stance. I thought it was kind of weird for a cockpit to force its user to be in such a weird position but I guess that's just how the Japanese roll. The weapons these machine uses consists of a single slash harken, a Revolving Blade Sword and a handgun to use with the right hand and a radiation surger that has three fingers on its left hand. When we arrived at the edge of the ghettos Rakshata contacted me over the communicator.

"Everything on our end is set to go. You can take off in the Proto-Gekka now. I'm expecting to obtain some useful data out of that machine so make sure you try out all of its weaponry."

"Right…I'm going to take off now."

After putting in the activation key and the machine started to come to life. I then took off in my machine as I headed to the ruins of the ancient city. Let's see here, according to Zero's analysis there should be a total of twenty enemy units scattered throughout the ghettos. After searching through the ghetto I came across three Sutherlands fighting some terrorists and their knightmares. The terrorists had two Glasgows and two Burais. By the looks of it the terrorists were in a losing situation with their inferior machines. But that what I'm here for, to give a helping hand.

I headed straight in and used my slash harken to knock the assault rifle out of one of the Sutherland's hand. I then went straight up to it and slashed the frame to pieces with my RBS Sword. Once my opponents noticed my presence one of them charged at me with its stun tonfa. Thanks to my knightmares maneuverability I was able to quickly dodge his attack and then I slashed its arm off with the RBS Sword. It activated the stun tonfa on its other arm and tried to use that but before it could I grabbed the frame with my radiation surger arm and used the radiation wave to destroy the unit.

The last Sutherland immediately ran away after I destroyed its two comrades. I tried to shoot at it with my handgun but I only managed to put a dent in its left arm. Its pilot probably knew it couldn't stand up to my knightmare and ran to go get backup. Well that's two Sutherlands down so far. I suddenly received an open channel with one of the terrorist group.

"Hey, thanks for the help, but who exactly are you?"

"I'm from the Black Knights. Zero sent me out here to help you."

"For real!?"

"Yes, and if you and your group doesn't want to lose then you'll follow my exact orders from here on out."

"Okay, I'm listening."

"First, I want you to get all of your knightmares here at this point. Then I want all the Glasgows with the giant cannons to hide themselves on top of the building roofs. All of the Burais should conceal themselves on the ground inside the ruins. Is that all clear?"

"Uh, yeah, but why should all of our forces be hidden here at this point?"

"Look, I don't have time to explain everything to you. You're just going to have to heed my instructions. This is all to defeat Britannia."

"Well alright then, I'll make sure the knightmares get into their positions." He said as we cut our communication.

I then head deeper into the ruins to find more enemy units. My plan is to take out as many enemy units as I can and then lure the rest back to that point where the terrorists will ambush and hopefully take care of the rest. After searching around I came across two more Sutherlands. What they were doing though horrified me. Not only were they taking out the terrorists, but the civilians as well. The sight of their blood being sprayed out reminded me of that time in Shinjuku when they were doing the exact same thing. Those cold-hearted bastards! I won't let them get away with this. Since their backs were turned away I could easily attack them from behind. I used my handgun to shoot off the landspinner of one of the Sutherlands which caused it to fall down. I then made my knightmare jump and landed right on top of the Sutherland, crushing it to pieces with my knightmare's feet. The other Sutherland came and furiously started to charge at me with its jousting lance. I grabbed the lance single handedly with the radiation arm with the tip of the lance right in the center of my hand. My knightmare's left hand wasn't damaged at all, not even a crack. I then activated the radiation wave and melted the lance until it was finally destroyed. Immediately after that, before the Sutherland could make a move, I used the sword in my hand and thrust it right into the center of the Sutherland. The sword went right through the Sutherland's body. I then freed my sword by slicing though the left side of the Sutherland. After I got my sword back, the enemy unit fell backwards and then exploded. I looked down at the citizens and they all seemed relieved to be out of danger now. Satisfied with the current situation I left to go search in a different area.

After looking around the place I found myself in a large open area within the ghettos. There I saw ten Sutherland fighting head on with what looked like Burais. I took a closer look and saw that they were really Burais customized by the JLF. Zero told me that protecting the JLF was our top priority. Well, no used standing here and watching, time to equal up the playing field. I made my knightmare jump right into the fray and swung my sword into a Sutherland, slicing it right in half. I was then contacted by one of the JLF's soldiers while I tackled with another Sutherland.

"I thank you for your assistance but which resistance group are you from?"

"I'm from the Black Knights."

"I see…then Kyoto sent you then."

"That's correct."

"After you take that one out we should be able to deal with the rest of them. You just go help the other resistance group here as with as the citizens."

"Roger that."

We then cut contact. I then slashed the stun tonfa off the Sutherlands arm and then knocked it down with my slash harken. I then shot at it with my handgun at it until it blew up. I then look over and saw each of the five custom Burai take out a Sutherland. There were only three Sutherlands left in this area. These guys should be able to take out the rest without my help. I then looked down at my energy filler and saw I only had 40% of energy left. Well, I better finish this quickly. I wonder if those other guys got everything ready yet.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Lelouch was sitting in his office inside the Black Knights hideout while consciously studying the chessboard he had laid out on the table. The chess pieces were scattered all over the table. On one end of the board the white king was one move away from being in check by the black queen. But controversy, the black king was already in check by the white knight chess piece.

"That looks like a difficult situation you are in." C.C. said as she sat on the couch doing the only thing she ever seems to do, eating pizza.

"Yes, that's how things looked before. But from now on things are going to go differently. I have an extra chess piece to play on the board." Lelouch said as he took out a new knight chess piece and placed it on the board. While it was black on the bottom the horse figure was blue.

"I like to see how Britannia counters this move." Lelouch confidently said.

"By the way, have you forgot something?" C.C. said as she held a ticket in her hand. Lelouch immediately swiped it out of her hand.

"I didn't forget…I don't know how long it's going to take Rai to finish this operation so I was planning on calling Shirley and cancel our meeting."

"…Stick to your contract."

Lelouch's phone then went off. He looked at who was calling and saw that it was Shirley. Lelouch then answered it.

"Oh, good timing I wanted to call you and..."

"Umm…listen Lulu, I know I made a date with you but I may be late. Sorry, but anyways, I'm sure it will be fine really…but I promise you that I'll be there. I'll see you later tonight." Shirley then hung up.

"Well, I'm glad it was her who did it instead of me. Now I can get back to this matter." Lelouch said as he looked back down at the chessboard.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I was running down the streets of the ghettos as five Sutherlands chased after me while shooting their assault rifles at me. One of them was the Sutherland with a dent in its left arm from earlier. I dodged their shots by turning at a nearby corner and going down a different road. I then stopped my knightmare from moving, turned around and waited for the Sutherlands to show up. When I saw them coming I yelled out an order to attack.

"Okay guys, do it now, fire!"

The five Sutherlands were then pelted by assault rifle shots from Burais on the ground and blasted by cannon shots by the Glasgow's giant cannons from the roofs of the building. All five Sutherlands were then destroyed as they exploded. Now, let's see…how many units have I destroyed? That should have been all of them but I needed to count to make sure. I destroyed two units when I got here, two more that were attacking the citizens, and then I destroyed two of the ten units attacking the JLF. The JLF's Burais then destroyed one unit each which makes it five more. There were three units remaining when I left the JLF but they should have been able to deal with them. And just now I destroyed five units at once with an ambush caused by the resistance group. That totals up to nineteen units destroyed. Wait a minute…nineteen? That means there's one unit left.

I then suddenly heard the sound of a knightmare being destroyed. I looked up out the top of a building and saw a Glasgow being pierced by a huge lance. It then exploded as the lance was being pulled out. I looked at what kind of knightmare it was and saw it was a Gloucester which meant it was one of Cornelia's Royal Guards. Of course, I should have known that the head commander would be one of Cornelia's top soldiers. It then started to take out the other Glasgows standing on the rooftop while knocking the frames off the roof. The Glasgows came falling down and crashing right onto the ground and exploding. Not wanting to see this continue I used my slash harken to climb my way up to the rooftop and challenge the enemy knightmare.

Okay, if I beat this one, my mission would be cleared. Now how should I deal with this thing? The enemy Gloucester had a Jousting lance in its right hand and an assault rifle in its left hand. I think it would be better to wait and see what it does before making a move. But if I had to guess it would probably charge at me with its lance, given that the Gloucester is for close-quarter combat. And I was right, it started to charge at me trying to stab me with that lance. I block it by attacking the side of the lance with my RBS Sword. We were then in a deadlock although in my current situation I was at a disadvantage, with that huge overbite lance pressuring down on my sword. The Gloucester then readied its assault rifle, trying to shoot at me through an opening. I didn't give it a chance though as I knocked the rifle out of its hand by firing my slash harken at it. I then let go of my sword and jumped back in order to avoid being crushed by that lance. It then came rushing in again and thrusted the lance once more. I was barely able to dodge the blow and then tried to grab his weapon with my left arm. I was having difficulty keeping a hold of it though as I didn't get a good grip on it. The Gloucester was able to free its weapon and quickly attacked me again with it. This time it managed to scrape the right side of my knightmare, but I can still operate my machine normally. I suddenly received a message from Rakshata who appeared on a small screen.

"Hey, what do you think you're doing out there? You let my baby get hurt like that! That's unforgivable!"

"I'm sorry, but I can't talk with you right now. I'm a little busy here." I then immediately cut off communication form her so I could focus at the battle at hand. Let's see here, I know that in order to win I need to get my sword back. I looked at my energy filler and saw that I only had 20% left now. Okay, I'll finish this in six moves. I fired my slash harken at it hoping to hit the hand that was holding the jousting lance but it countered by firing its own slash harken, canceling each other out. I then fired my handgun and it blocked itself by using the lance to shield itself. Now's my chance…Since it wouldn't be able to see me coming I quickly charged over there and grabbed the lance with my radiation arm. Now that I have a good hold of it, I activated the radiation wave and started to melt away at the lance. While I was doing that with my left hand I grabbed my sword with my right hand, which was on the ground nearby, back up. The lance then took enough damage from my radiation wave and blew up. I then came out from the smokescreen and then stabbed the Gloucester with the sword while pushing my frame up against it.

We were then at the edge of the building so I kicked the Gloucester with my knightmare's foot and knocked it off the building as my sword slid back out of the enemy frame. As the Gloucester fell it threw something up in the air as it fell and then hit the ground which caused it to explode into flames. I looked up to see what it threw and saw that it was a chaos mine. Except this time I wasn't going to let it hit me. Thanks to the Proto-Gekka's great maneuverability I was able to dodge the needles sprouting out from the chaos mine. I then took aim with my handgun and shot that annoying thing away. Whew…I think that's it. I looked at my energy filler and saw I only have 10% left. I guess I better recharge it. I then heard people shouting and screaming over the edge of the building so I moved my knightmare over there and looked down to see what the commotion was. As I looked down from the top of the building I saw several citizens as well as some resistance fighters standing around the Gloucester I destroyed and they were cheering while looking up at my Proto-Gekka.

"Yeah…way to go!"

"Thank you so much for saving us from those Britannians!"

"Keep up the good work!"

"Down with those Britannians!"

I couldn't help but feel a sigh a relief from seeing the Japanese cheering for me like that. I then received an open channel from one of the JLF soldiers.

"I see that you finished on your end. We have successfully finished off the remaining units on our end. If it's not a problem I would like to meet you so I can give my thanks in person. We'll be over at the area where we met earlier."

"Sure, I'll be there shortly."

I then took off in my knightmare and headed over to the large field in the ghettos. When I arrived I saw five people standing in the middle with the five custom Burai. Two of the Burais were completely destroyed and the other three were badly damaged. It didn't look like they were going to be able to fix them. I got out of my knightmare and approached them. The man standing in front of the other four then saluted as he introduced himself.

"It is an honor to meet like this. I am the Lieutenant Colonel and leader of the Four Holy Sword, Kyoshiro Tohdoh. Behind me are my subordinates."

The four people behind him each began to step forward and introduce themselves.

"My name is Shogo Asahina." The green haired man with glasses said.

"I'm Nagisa Chiba." A brown-haired woman said.

"I'm Ryoga Senba." The largest man there said.

"And I'm Kotetsu Urabe." The last one with blue hair said.

"My name is Rai." I replied back to them.

"Tell me, what kind of knightmare are you piloting?" Tohdoh asked me.

"Oh this…This knightmare is called the Proto-Gekka. It is a seventh generation Japanese knightmare."

"It must be a very difficult machine to use. But for someone your age to be operating it, you must be a very skilled pilot."

"I get told that a lot even though I don't think I'm anything that special. I just do my job, that's all."

"I see…well, it's nice to talk to you and all but we have to get going. I don't think I can spare much time talking with you. The longer we stay here; it will become more likely that Britannia will come out here again. You can send Zero and the Black Knights my best regards."

"I'll do that."

"And make sure that you and your people continue the fight against Britannia."

"Roger that."

Tohdoh gave one last salute and then began to walk away followed by the Four Holy Swords being right behind him. Once they were gone from my sight I got back inside my knightmare and headed back to Rakshata's crew. When we got everything together we headed back to the Black Knights hideout.

"How was it? The Proto-Gekka I mean." Rakshata asked me when we got back to the hideout's hanger.

"Existing frames cannot be compared to the extraordinary power of this frame. The Guren also can't be outdone either.

"Of course, it's because the Pre-Production Type was made with the merits of the Guren as a basis. Moreover, this means that it's for your exclusive use only.

"My exclusive use?"

"I had to adjust the foundation of my data because of your unique piloting skills. I wonder, do you also exceed the Guren, I wonder.

"I don't think so. I'm still not as good as Kallen.

"Really, you're quite interesting. My knightmare's full potential cannot be fully released without someone like you. But I couldn't help but feel that you held back a little on that last operation."

"What do you mean by that?"

"While the machine was fully operational there was something that was interfering with you as the pilot. If I had to guess I would say that it was lack of confidence that prevents you from being at your absolute best."

"Well I never really did have a lot of confidence to begin with. Without my missing memories, I don't really know how I'm suppose to feel or act like."

"Well, in any case I would like to thank you for your assistance. I managed to get some good data on my knightmare. Although you did cause a little scratch on my Gekka, I'll forgive you this one time."

"I'll make sure to be more careful next time."

"Please do." Rakshata then began to walk away while putting that pipe back in her mouth.

After she left I began to wonder what I was going to do next. I then saw Kallen running up to me while holding something in her arms.

"Hey, you're back! That means the mission was a success right?"

"Yes, I was able to reduce the casualties caused in the Saitama Ghettos."

"Well now that you are finished you must be hungry now right? I didn't see you in the school cafeteria today. While you were busy on your solo mission I quickly made something for the both of us to eat." Kallen said as she held the two bentos in both of her hands.

"Oh, that was very kind of you Kallen but I'm not really that hungry." As soon as I finished saying that however my stomach started growling.

"Yeah, well your stomach says otherwise." Kallen said as she giggled at me.

"Err…scratch that, maybe I am hungry after all." Kallen then handed me one of her bentos.

"It's important that you eat. You need to keep yourself healthy and have plenty of energy. And besides, isn't the food I make better than the rations here at the hideout?" Kallen questioned me.

"Well yes, of course. But I didn't think that you would go to such great lengths to do something like this for me."

"H-huh…what are you talking about…I'm still your helper aren't I?" Kallen said as she looked other way with her face starting to turn red.

"Well that's true."

"Are you saying that you would rather have me do nothing for you, or maybe you're saying my cooking isn't good enough for you?" Kallen started to sound serious now.

"Huh…N-no, I appreciate you helping me out, and I also think that your cooking is good."

"Hmph…Come on, let's go eat already."

"Sure, but let me take off this pilot suit first. I'll see you in the lounge."

"Okay, I'll see you there then."

Kallen went on ahead to the lounge while I went to change my uniform. I took off my pilot suit and now I was only wearing my black knight's pants with a black t-shirt. I stuffed that pilot uniform in a locker which had my other things and then I went on back to the lounge to eat with Kallen. While we were eating our bentos on the couch Kallen began talking to me.

"So, how was it, piloting the Proto-Gekka I mean."

"It's…different from any knightmare I piloted before."

"I noticed that your unit has the radiation surger equipped to it as well. It's a pretty cool weapon, don't you think?"

"Yeah, it's a very unique weapon."

"Now that you have your own personal machine that makes you an ace as well." Kallen said as she pointed her chopsticks at me.

"Huh…you really think so?"

"Yep, maybe we should call you Zero's Blue Knight from now on."

"Is that so…I guess you would be Zero's Red Knight then."

"Yeah, and together we're going to bring peace to Japan."

"Yes, together."

Kallen then received a call on her phone.

"It's from student council…" Kallen said as she answered her phone.

"Yes, this is Kallen…Milly, what is it…Yes, Rai is with me right now….What, no, we're not doing that with each other…Huh, oh, I see…yes, I'll make sure I tell him that…See you tomorrow then." Kallen then hung her phone up and turned towards me with a guilty look on her face.

"What's wrong, did something happen?" I asked her.

"That was Milly on the phone. She just told me that Shirley's father has just passed away recently. Milly told me that the funeral is being held tomorrow and that all the student council members should be there."

"What did he die of exactly?"

"It was from the mudslide that slid into the town below the Narita Mountains. The one that we caused. I feel so bad now. I'm sorry Rai, but I think I want to be alone now."

"Yeah, sure, go ahead."

Kallen then got up and left the trailer. I just sat there and began reflecting on what just transpired. Just a moment ago Kallen and I were just talking how being members of the Black Knights made us so special. Now I figured out that the father of my friend was killed because of something a group I work with did. I know Kallen is going to feel guilty considering she caused the mudslide with her Guren. I wonder if I will be able to sleep tonight knowing all of this.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	14. Chapter 14

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 14: Battle at the Port, Britannia's Blue Knight Appears

Today I went out to the cemetery with the rest of student council to attend the funeral of Shirley's father. I almost decided not to go but Milly came and dragged me out there. It was cloudy outside today, almost as if it was about to rain. I noticed that during the whole sermon Lelouch just stood there looking with his hair covering his eyes. He seemed exceptionally sad about this. Once the funeral procession was finished the other people began walking away and Shirley walked back over to where we were standing. Kallen was the first one to speak to her.

"Shirley, I'm so sorry this happened."

"Oh stop, what do you need to apologize for?"

Kallen just turned her face away in guilt.

"We feel awful! It's just that, when we were all watching the whole hotel jacking on TV, I thought the Black Knights were, well you know, heroes. The news was handling it all wrong. Anyways, I was posting online about what happened in Narita was kind of cool and…forgive me." Rivalz said as he bowed his head.

"Come on, don't be silly. This has absolutely nothing to do with this at all. I mean even I was saying Narita was…" She was then interrupted by Milly who placed her hands on Shirley's shoulders.

"Shirley, stop…Seriously, I'm starting to worry about you here. Have you cried yet? If you simply hold it in it will only be harder for you later on."

"You don't have to worry. Really, I'm fine. I've cried plenty already." Shirley reassured while looking away.

"Cowards…Zero and his people…Their methods are just cowardly. He doesn't even get his hands dirty. He stirs people into a frenzy, tips the world into chaos and then sits back and congratulates himself. It's not going to change a thing. Anything gained through his kind of tactics are just meaningless." Suzaku angrily proclaimed.

The rest of us quickly ignored his outburst though.

"Well anyways, I think it's time to head back everyone. Shirley, we will be waiting for you…back in the old student council room…Same as ever." Milly said reassuring.

We all then started to walk away. I turned around and saw that Lelouch wasn't moving and just stood there. I was about to go back and say something to him but Milly suddenly put her arm around me and made me walk forward while whispering something into my ear.

"Those two need to be alone with each other right now. They need to talk about something amongst themselves."

"Oh, I think I understand."

"And another thing, can you do Shirley's work for student council today. I don't think she's going to be coming in today. It's just paper work for the swim club, it won't be that hard."

"Sure…" I decided to do Shirley's work for student council. After all, it was the least I could do for her. Back in the clubhouse, as I was doing Shirley's work as well as my own, I noticed it started to rain outside. Once I was finished with everything I waited for the rain to stop before going outside. Now that I was finished with my work I wanted to get as far away as possible from this place in order to avoid running into Shirley. I don't think I will be able to speak face-to-face with her for a while until I get this feeling of guilt out of me. I figured the best place to go would be the Black Knights hideout. I decided to bring an umbrella with me just in case the rain started back up. Before I was off school grounds however I ran into Suzaku, who still seemed pretty steamed about something but loosened up when he started talking to me.

"Rai, there's something that I want to ask you."

"And what would that be?" I nervously started to say.

"I've been thinking, and I know I already asked you once, but I want you to join the Britannian Military."

"…And why is that?"

"Because you can be of more use to everyone in the military than just sitting here at school. I know you and Kallen have a special thing with each other and…"

"Hey, I never said I was doing anything with her." I said as I shook my hands out.

"Well, anyways the point I'm trying to make is if you were in the military you could be saving the lives of many people with your special talents. I think you and I could be partners as we try to change Area 11 from within. We would be about to protect the lives of our friends as well as their families. So something like the death of Shirley's father never occurs again."

"I'm sorry Suzaku, but I'm going to have to refuse that offer of yours. While I believe that protecting lives is important and that Area 11 does need to change, right now, regaining my memories takes top priority. Until I understand who I really am that best thing for me right now is to sit on the sidelines. I am simply Rai, the man who knows close to nothing about himself. I'm nobody special right now. Besides, somebody has to protect Ashford Academy right?"

"Well that true…I'm sorry that I tried to force something like doing military work onto you. I don't want to make you do something you're not comfortable with. I won't ask you again."

"I'm sorry to say this, but please excuse me." I said as I bid farewell to Suzaku and proceeded to leave school grounds and quickly made my way out to the hideout. At this point there is no turning back for me. There was nothing that was going to sway me from the path I have chosen. I already knew what I have become…an enemy of Britannia. When I got out to the hideout I noticed the place seemed less lively than it usually was, and even that wasn't much. Even Zero seemed a little quiet today. For some reason, I could tell that he was sad about something, even though I couldn't see his face.

"Rai…What do you think about sacrifices?" Zero said as he called out to me in the lounge.

"What do you mean…Do you mean the sacrifices that come from the result of war?"

"Yes…That too, of course."

How rare it was for Zero's voice to lack the aspiration it usually carried. Was it my imagination?

"Well, for the sake of living up to one sacrifice, one must make yet another. In order to move forward, wouldn't you need to shoulder that kind of resolve?"

"Yes…You're right. You're absolutely right."

"What's wrong? You seem kind of down about something."

"What do you mean?"

"You seem different today somehow."

"Only in front you, huh…" Zero's voice then started to sound more charismatic.

"I've had that kind of resolve since long ago. Yes, since very long ago…"

While in a state of brooding over something, Zero then left. I spend the rest of my day doing maintenance on the Proto-Gekka. While I was working inside the cockpit I heard someone call out to me. I looked down and I saw Kallen standing next to my knightmare with her hand placed on its leg. She seemed to have a troubled look on her face.

"Rai, do you have a moment to talk?"

"Uh, yeah, just hang on for a minute." I then got out, closed the cockpit of my knightmare and came down to speak with her.

"So, what do you want to talk about?" I asked her.

"You know, I thought the goal of the Black Knights was justice. The only reason I fought up till now was because I thought it was the right thing to do. So I could live with the killing, but now, Rai, tell me, is what we're all doing here is really going to change the world for the better?"

"Well, that's a difficult question. I know you're shaken up by the recent events but, yes, I believe what we're doing is for the better. The way the Britannains are right now, they're not going to change for the better any time soon. That's what we're here for, to make a difference. We have to be the ones who does it."

"Yeah, but…"

"We have to be prepared for the sacrifices that are to come through our actions. Not only will soldiers fall, but innocent people as well. But we can't let that stop us. We have no choice but to move on. No matter what awaits us at the end. Even if we were to become enemies of the world, we have to succeed in our goals."

"Thank you, Rai…Zero already said something similar to that to me already today but I felt that I needed to ask you as well. You both helped me get my resolve back. You know, sometimes I can't help but feel that the two of you are similar in some way."

I then turned away and walked a distance away from her.

"That's impossible…I can be in no way compared to him. I don't think I would be able create a military out of nowhere and then challenge a country that controls one third of the world."

"I guess that would be kind of difficult to do. Well, I'll see you around." Kallen then started to walk away but then I suddenly called out to her and she turned around to face me.

"Kallen…I want you to remember, that no matter what happens, no matter who I was in my past, I will always be your ally, I will always be there to stand by your side, till the very end." I said with a serious look on my face.

Kallen just simply smiled when she heard me say that.

"Thank you, Rai." She then began to walk away again. Once she disappeared I began to wonder why I said that for. It wasn't like me to say things like that. I then looked at the time and saw it was getting late so I headed home and went straight to bed. The next day I tried to avoid Shirley as much as I could. I was even willing to sit on the other side of the classroom. Once classes were finished for the day I went to the student council room to do my work there. Today not only did I have to my work but Lelouch's as well, who didn't even show up at school today. Sometimes I couldn't help but wonder what that guy thinks is so important that he would skip out on school and his student council duties so much. After I finished my work for student council I decided to walk around the school grounds until I ran into Kallen, who seem to be looking for me.

"Rai, please come with me for a moment. Something urgent has come up and I need to speak with you." Kallen said as she grabbed my wrist and whisked me away to the other side of the school building despite the reaction of some nearby students. Once we were sure that nobody would hear us we began talking by some nearby trees.

"What is it Kallen…Is this something related the Black Knights?"

"Yes, I'm here to tell you that a bit of intelligence have been confirmed."

"I see."

"General Kitase, the leader of the JLF who was driven out of their base at the battle of Narita, is said to be planning to escape overseas to the Chinese Federation. There was also the request from Kyoto saying the Black Knights should help them make their getaway. Later this evening, we'll be meeting at the bay area with everyone else. Ohgi and the others already brought all the equipment beforehand. All we need to do is head out there and get ready for the mission in our knightmares."

"I understand…I guess that means we better get out right away."

"That's right."

Kallen and I then headed out to the bay area where the rest of the Black Knights were gathered in an abandoned warehouse.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Suzaku was checking the status of the Lancelot when Lloyd came in and interrupted him.

"I have some bad news Suzaku. We just got word from Cornelia's Royal Guards. We're on deck for the next operation. Are they acknowledging your skills or do they need another decoy?"

"Oh Lloyd, care for another lesson in proper social etiquette. You look like you have some time to kill." Cecile said coming through the door while carrying some food on a tray.

"I'll have to take a pass on that. Now then, I believe we were talking about your mission. You need to head out to the warehouses out in the bay area and speak to General Dalton to hear the full explanation."

"Okay then, I'll head out there right away then." Suzaku said as he got ready to leave. Once he was gone Lloyd and Cecile were having a private chat.

"Miss Cecile, are both knightmares ready to go?"

"Yes, both Z-01 and Z-01b are already prepped and ready to go."

"Excellent, that's just excellent."

(Back to Rai's POV)

"Wait a second Zero…I realize this is a request from Kyoto. I think we can definitely handle this. And I'm pretty sure the Japan Liberation Front would rather join with us than flee to foreign soil and all but…" Ohgi was then interrupted by Zero.

"You're the one who brought us this information…Diethard, wasn't it?"

"That's right…It is an honor that you would meet me like this Zero." The man called Diethard said while two Black Knights soldiers had their guns pointed right in front of him. The movement of Cornelia's army was confirmed thanks to information provided by this Britannian co-operator, Diethard. Our strategy was dramatically changed as a result. Diethard seems to have also been the one who provided us with the information on Narita as well as the Saitama Ghettos incident. He also said that he wanted to become a full time member of the Black Knights and watch our activities in person from now on.

"So Princess Cornelia is going to deploy the royal marines on General Kitase of the Japan Liberation Front. Is that correct?"

"Yes, the network is already poised to broadcast a special report on it."

"Lieutenant Colonel Tohdoh will never make it to Kitase in time. This means the Japan Liberation Front has no military strength right now. Their only chance of escape is the liquid Sakuradite they're carrying on board their ship."

"This is why we should help General Kitase escape instead of going after Cornelia…

"Ohgi…who are we?"

"W-We're the Black Knights."

"Then we have but one task! We will destroy Cornelia's troops, and in doing so, rescue the remnants of the JLF. Tonight, we regain what was lost to us at Narita."

At first it seemed like we would concentrate on supporting their escape, but Zero didn't seem to intend to leave it at just that.

"What are our chances of success?"

"Do you need to ask?"

"Understood."

"Begin preparations, you all have your orders to carry out besides you Rai. Come with me and I'll give you the special task you will be doing on this operation."

"Sure thing…" I said as I started to follow Zero. We then entered a small office in the storage room. Zero walked over to a table and placed a map of the entire bay area on top of the table.

"Rai, I want you to move independently from the others just like last time."

"I see…"

"Cornelia is deploying the assault unit, but she is also deploying the rear troops of her personal forces at each of the harbors."

Zero spread out a drawing of the harbor area and pointed out the deployments of our enemies and allies on the map.

"Rai, you'll attack these rear troops and this blockade line, and secure for us a path of retreat. You and the Proto-Gekka should have no problems with this mission. I'm placing my expectations on you."

"Understood."

(Outside Rai's POV)

Suzaku headed out the bay area and found General Dalton waiting for him in one of the warehouses.

"Just so you know, the viceroy has a reservation about using Numbers, but use every able body I always say. Even if it's the son of the former prime minister. Our target is Kitase. Take him out the Japan Liberation Front is finished. We'll be sending in the royal marines. Your job will be to provide supporting fire from the shore until the marines have Kitase. As well as annihilating any stragglers left over."

"I'm to…annihilate them sir?" Suzaku said shocked.

"Nobody but the target is to survive. Is that clear? Warrant officer Kururugi, show your loyalty to the crown. This is your chance to get ahead in the world soldier." Dalton then began to walk away to prepare the knightmares.

"Understood…my lord." Suzaku said while trying to squeeze out the words.

"Onward holy warriors…Conflicting morals right?" Lloyd said as he appeared from nowhere in the warehouse. Suzaku just turned his eyes away from him when Lloyd said that while clinching onto his knightmare activation key.

"Oh yes, I just gotten word from Miss Cecile on some new Intel. It seems that we will be having a new ally joining us tonight."

"A new ally?"

"Yes, apparently Britannia is sending one of their best knights over here to help assist us in dealing with these…terrorists."

"A new ally huh?" Suzaku thought to himself as he wondered who this new ally could be.

(Back to Rai's POV)

We hastily began preparing for our plan. Zero and the other members of the main force were preparing the high speed boat they would board, which would be able to get to General Kitase's boat at any time. After concealing the Proto-Gekka in the warehouse district, I would open a path through the bay area's blockade line of Cornelia's rear guards at the same time as the main operation began. After splitting up from the main body of our forces alone, I weaved my way through the space between the harbor facilities and hid myself inside one of the warehouses. Before long, sounds of shooting started. It seems like the forces of the Britannian army had begun to move first. Since Colonel Tohdoh had yet to rejoin then, the JLF should have very little fighting power right now. If we didn't move quickly to support them, we wouldn't be able to save the JLF from this difficult battle.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"It looks like its starting. Zero, do you want to move out or what?" Ohgi said to Zero over the communicator.

"Hey, do you read me, they're closing in on the JFL, come in."

"We have to hold. Cornelia moved faster than expected. If we go now we'll die alongside with them." Zero responded back.

Apparently Zero and the Black Knights were just sitting there watching as the JLF's boat was taking damage from the Britannian army. The royal marines then started to board the ship.

"Damn it, it would be too late soon. When does Zero plan to move?" Ohgi questioned out loud.

"I just hope he isn't doing all of this to honor some childish notion of justice." Diethard responded to Ohgi's question.

"Zero, the knightmares are boarding the ship."

"I see…that only leaves one way out. They have to be careful of that precious Sakuradite." Zero said as he held his finger on top of a remote.

"Zero, if we don't hurry…"

"Very well then…go ahead." Zero said as he pushed the button of his remote which caused the ship of the JLF and the Britannian Marines were on to explode. The explosion was visible to those standing all over the port.

"Just what you would expect of the JLF…Choosing to take the Britannian Military down with them!"

"Suicide… but they never mentioned…"

"We're going to rush Cornelia's position head on. Forget about everything else. All that matters is achieving our goals. If you want to avenge the JLF then capture Cornelia, and show them our strength and determination…Move out!"

(Back to Rai's POV)

Zero's order resounded. I made the Proto-Gekka rush out of the warehouse. The group of warehouses hindered my view, but I could see something in the direction of the wharf. A huge column of fire was rising over there. The battle had already begun, but that was no ordinary explosion.

"Rai, can you hear me?" Ohgi said over the communicator.

"Yes Ohgi, what just happened?"

"General Kitase's tanker had managed to set sail, but was then boarded by Britannia's marine forces…It seems they used the liquid Sakuradite they were carrying onboard to self-destruct.

"What happens to our plan?"

"Zero is taking our main forces to rush Cornelia's troop stronghold just as it is. Hopefully, we can take Cornelia prisoner with just that."

"Then, I'll just continue to work on my own just as the plan called for before."

"Yeah, we're counting on you!"

"Roger that, I'll be cutting communication with you all from here."

I checked the data concerning battle situation. Zero had to immediately rush and attack Cornelia's stronghold by using the sudden explosion as a distraction. In any case, the path of retreat still needed to be secured. My mission hasn't changed. I arrived at the entrance to the harbor facilities. I could see some Britannian forces stationed there. There was one knightmare and several tanks. It was a small force that served as both a defense and a blockade. The knightmare was only a Sutherland, which wouldn't stand a chance against the Proto-Gekka. Because their attention was still focused on the explosion just now, they didn't notice me approaching. Now what should I do, take out the tanks first or that Sutherland. In the few seconds I had to think things through I made my decision and immediately rushed forward. The tanks, which were all lined up, were as good as gone as I blew them all away at once with only my handgun. The Sutherland, who finally noticed my presence, leveled its assault rifle at me from the other side of the explosions' flames. His aim was too confused and half-hearted though as my Proto-Gekka was able to easily glide past his shots as I approached him. As I passed him, I drew my sword, the Revolving Blade Sword, and slashed the Sutherland frame right in half with its upper half falling off and hitting the ground. Immediately after that the pilot ejected from his cockpit. A few infantry soldiers remained, but since it was no longer possible for them to stop the intervention of my knightmare, there would be no problems with securing the escape route now.

After this, I took out several strong points for the blockade line. Everything was going according to plan. I then suddenly noticed an enemy was approaching on my IFF signal. Did it notice the disturbance I caused just now? It was only one frame though. However, it was moving fast. It definitely wasn't a Sutherland. I hid myself in the shadows of a pile of containers beside the warehouse to see what it was. When the knightmare came to my area it stopped and started to look around. I took a quick glance at what I was dealing with here and saw that it was a white knightmare. Wait a minute…a white knightmare? Could this be the knightmare that Kallen is always talking about, the one that always gets in the way of the Black Knights activities? After taking a second look at it I realize that this wasn't the one Kallen was mentioned. The one she talked about had gold trims around it, but this one had blue trims on it. Could it be that Britannia is trying to mass-produce that machine? In any case, I'll need to destroy that knightmare in order to ensure the escape route for the Black Knights.

Looking at my current position, I had the advantage to perform an ambush. I'll take it out with one attack. I took my Gekka out of my hiding spot and started to shoot at the mysterious machine with my handgun. However, it immediately noticed my presence and formed a green shield around itself warding off all my bullets.

"What, it reflects bullets?" I said out loud.

Seeing that my handgun was useless in this position I whipped out my RBS Sword and swung it at the enemy knightmare. It responded by clashing my sword with a sword of its own shaped like a lance. After noticing that I wouldn't be able to cut through his sword I made my knightmare jump backward to think of a new strategy. My adversary didn't give me much time to think though as it pulled an assault rifle out with its other hand and started shooting at me with it. I was able to easily dodge the bullets as my knightmare danced across the portline. I then heard Ohgi send a message out to all the Black Knights members through the communicators.

"We're withdrawing…Did you hear me everyone, all of our forces are to withdraw. Head to your escape points!"

Well this isn't good. Our forces are going to try to go through this escape route any minute now and there is still an enemy here at this location, a dangerous one at that. It looks like I have no choice but to use myself as a decoy and try to drag him to another location. I then steered my Proto-Gekka towards the inner parts of the port while still dodging his rifles attacks in the hope that he'll take the bait and follow me away from our escape route. And luckily he did, I turned my head for a moment to see that he was right on my tail and began firing two slash harkens at me from its wrists. I went and hid around a couple of nearby containers to avoid the attack.

I then got my RBS Sword ready to use expecting him to appear around the crate but then it did something that I wasn't expecting. The knightmare blasted right through the crate with that assault rifle somehow and swung that sword lance at me. We clashed swords once again except this time I had more momentum and was able to push him back. The enemy knightmare then jumped backwards when it knew it was going to lose the sword clash. I then shot my single slash harken at it hoping to knock that rifle out of its hand. But the white knightmare swiftly put its assault rifle away, threw out another sword shaped lance and slashed right through the middle of my harken with its new sword. It then used its new sword to combine with its other one to form a single dual-wielding lance.

The knightmare then charged straight at me with its newly formed lance. I countered it with my RBS Sword and we were in a deadlock once again. I had the pressure on him and thought I was going to break through but then it flipped its lance around and knocked my sword at of my hand with the other end of the lance. My sword then went flying into the ocean. I couldn't believe it; he knocked my sword out of my hand! Not wanting to let up for a second, I immediately started to shoot my handgun at him. This time however it reflected my bullets by spinning that dual-wielding lance in front of itself. It then once again charged at me and swung its lance at me. I dodged the attack and then grabbed its weapon with my radiation surger arm. It was difficult trying to keep a grip on the lances with only three fingers but I finally managed to keep a good grip on it. I then activated the radiation surger and started to melt away at its lances. The knightmare then decided to let go of its weapon and jumped back away. I then heard C.C. trying to contact me over the radio.

"Rai, what are you still doing out there? The rest of the Black Knights have already retreated. You need to get out of there before the military surrounds and captures you and your knightmare."

"…Roger that, I'll begin to retreat from this area." I then cut contact with C.C. and crushed the now weakened dual-wielding lance in half with my surger arm's fingers. I then looked to see where my opponent was and saw that he was still around. Now it had its assault rifle back out except it started to change into what looked like a sniping mode. It then fired a charged shot at my knightmare. Holding the radiation wave arm in front of me, I activated it again to form a radiation wall around my hand and used that to protect myself from the attack. Even though I managed to catch the attack with my radiation arm, the charged shot still blew up and destroyed the fingers on my knightmare's arm. Now I know how it was able to destroy those containers earlier. But that was only a minor problem, I needed to get out of here before Britannian reinforcements came. I'll give my adversary the tactical victory for now. I released the chaffsmoke from my knightmare which disrupts the IFF signals and immediately retreated from the area. The enemy knightmare tried to give chase after me in the smoke but it suddenly stopped, as if it ran out of energy or something. Well, I do know one thing; whoever was operating that thing sure was an excellent pilot. And this probably wasn't going to be the last time I face that knightmare. I eventually got out of the port area and headed back to the ghettos except I went to a different underground hideout just in case the military somehow was able to follow me.

After that, the battle was officially over. We had succeeded in hitting Cornelia's army, but we had failed to rescue General Kitase, which should have been our first priority. It was said that he had heroically committed suicide by detonating the Sakuradite stored on his ship. Also, there were rumors that Zero had gotten injured during the fighting, as he had yet to be seen back at the hideout. C.C. had given the order to withdraw, so the losses of the Black Knights had been slight and less significant than expected but, in the end, we had failed to capture Cornelia.

(Black Knights POV: Kallen's POV)

Back in the lounge of the Black Knights hideout, Kallen and Ohgi began to reflect on what happened during the battle at the port.

"Is Zero alright…?" Kallen said with a worried look on her face.

"C.C. is with him. He'll be fine if we leave it to her." Ohgi said to her.

"I suppose…what about Rai? I didn't see him retreating with us at the escape route."

"He was busy fighting a knightmare to ensure the escape route was open for us. According to the reports, it was similar to the White Knightmare except it had blue trims on it."

"What, another one of those damn machines…Is Britannia trying to mass produce that thing?"

"If that's true then things are going to get difficult for us in the future."

"In that case I'll just have to destroy every single one of them!" Kallen promptly said.

(Britannian Military POV: Suzaku's POV)

When Suzaku returned to the Camelot hanger he noticed that there was another knightmare similar to his coming into the hanger as well. Suzaku began to wonder why there was a Lancelot look-alike so he asked Cecile when he got out of his frame.

"Miss Cecile, what knightmare is that?"

"Oh, this is the Z-01b Lancelot Club. A seventh generation prototype knightmare just like yours. You could called it the Lancelot's sister unit."

"I see…so who is the pilot of the Lan…" Suzaku was then interrupted by Lloyd who screamed out in joy at seeing the Lancelot Club.

"My Lancelot Club has safely returned I see! And it also gave me some valuable data as well. What did you say your name is again?"

Suzaku and Cecile then looked over at the cockpit of the Lancelot Club to see a boy about the same age as Suzaku with a light colored blondish-brown hair and dark brown eyes coming out of the cockpit. He then walked over to Suzaku, Lloyd and Cecile and properly introduced himself while saluting to the three of them.

"Sir, first I would like to say that it is an honor to be working with the Camelot Crew. I am from the royal guard of Nonnette Enneagram, who is the Knight of Nine from the Knights of the Round. My name is Michael Steinberg but while I am stationed here in Area 11 I ask that you call me by my codename: SAI, which stands for…

Searching

Abnormal

Individuals

Moving on to the next Stage…

**Author's Note: For the next chapter it will take place from the view point of people in the Britannian Military instead of from Rai or the Black Knights POV.**


	15. Chapter 15

**Now there are a few things that need to be known about this chapter. First of all I'm not going to go over the whole Mao arc. I consider him to be Lelouch's enemy and since this is a fanfiction about Rai I will not be using him in my story. Just assume that Lelouch is having his showdown with Mao during this chapter. Instead this chapter will be about Rai's new rival who will also become Suzaku's new partner. Also, this whole chapter will be in third person view. And finally, this chapter introduces an OC to the story. While I'm going to try to use the canon characters as much as I can, when it looks like I'm going to need an OC, I'll add one into the story. Once an OC is properly introduced in my story I'll add a short profile of them at the end of the chapter. And with that, I hope you enjoy this chapter.**

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 15: The Life of a Britannian Soldier

"So you want us to call you Sai right?" Lloyd asked the Britannian solider.

"Yes, please do." The boy replied back.

"Well then, welcome aboard the Camelot crew my boy. I'm Lloyd Asplund, I'm at the head of our little group and I'm also the developer of the Lancelots." Lloyd said as he introduced himself to Sai.

"My name is Cecile Croomy and I'm Lloyd assistant. I'm also one of the people who helped make the Lancelot prototypes." Cecile said with a smile.

"Oh, so you two made the Lancelot and Lancelot Club? Did you also happen to make the Lancelot Grail as well?" Sai questioned.

"Yes we sure did. But because of the lack of devicers we had to give it away to another member of the royal family. I think the machine is in Princess Maribelle's possession now."

"Oh yes, I know her. Princess Maribelle asked me that when I arrived in Area 11 she wanted me to thank the people of the Camelot crew for giving the knightmare frame to her. So Princess Maribelle gives her best regards to you two. She also says that the maintenance workers are making the final adjustments to it and are also adding a few new armaments of their own to it. In a few months Princess Maribelle and her Glinda Knights will be heading for the battles in the Middle East to repel terrorists' activities in the conquered areas we have claimed."

"I see…So have they found a suitable devicer for it yet?" Lloyd questioned.

"Yes, a good friend of mine is going to be piloting it. Her name is Oldrin Zevon. She is going to be the pilot of the Lancelot Grail."

"Oh, someone from the Zevon family I see. Well I think Princess Maribelle made a fine choice there." Cecile said.

"Well it's nice to hear that my invention is going to be in the hands of some capable people. But enough about them, I would like to discuss your performance of last night's battle at the port." Lloyd said as he pulled up a screen showing battle data from the Lancelot Club. The screen showed the Lancelot Club taking down several Burais.

"So, how well did I do?" Sai asked Lloyd.

"You were outstandingly well. You really did use the Lancelot Club to its fullest potential You were even able to stand up against what seemed to the Black Knights newest knightmare model." Lloyd said as the screen showed an image of the Lancelot Club clashing swords with a blue Japanese knightmare.

"I'm sorry I wasn't able to destroy it. The pilot of that machine was really good."

"That's understandable, but you did well for your first time regardless." Cecile said praising Sai's skill.

"Yep, from now on you'll be Suzaku's partner on the battlefield." Lloyd proclaimed.

"Oh yes, that's right, Suzaku, please introduced yourself." Cecile said to Suzaku.

Suzaku then stepped forward and introduced himself.

"Right…I'm sorry for not introducing myself sooner. My name is Suzaku…Suzaku Kururugi. I'm the pilot of the original Lancelot."

"Suzaku Kururugi huh…Wait, that means you're an Eleven right?"

"Uh…yes, I am."

Sai then gave Suzaku a glare at first, but then he just smiled and offered Suzaku a handshake.

"Well it's nice to meet you Suzaku. I think you and I are going to become great friends."

Suzaku and Sai then gave each other a strong handshake.

"By the way…you did say Kururugi correct? As in, the same as Genbu Kururugi, the former Prime Minister?"

"Yes, he is my father actually."

"I see…then you're also related to Kaguya Sumeragi then right?"

"Kaguya is a distant relative of mine."

"Then have you ever heard of something called the Sumeragi's Legacy?"

"Huh…no, I never heard of anything like that before."

"I see…I guess I'll have to ask Kaguya Sumeragi after all."

"I sorry for asking this…but what is the Sumeragi's Legacy and why do you need to know what it is?"

"Right…well just so you know I get moved around a lot. Like at first I was just a normal soldier, then I worked as one of Princess Maribelle's guard with Oldrin, and then I worked as a guard for a research group, then I got promoted to Nonnette's royal guards, and now I'm a member of the Camelot crew. Now I can't tell you much, but a client of mine from this research center I worked at asked me to go to Area 11 to find the Sumeragi's Legacy for him. While I don't even know what exactly this thing is, all he told me is that it's hidden somewhere in Area 11. That's also why I'm going by a codename, to make sure this operation is kept a secret."

"He sure did keep you in the dark though."

"Yeah, I know…I figured it was best to start by asking the Sumeragi family first and those closest to them. Lady Nonnette has already got me an appointment to meet Kaguya in person so I can ask her."

"So even the Knight of the Round is involved with this?"

"No, this is solely my mission. She doesn't even know why I need to speak with her but she is helping me out anyways."

"Suzaku, Sai, it's about time to shut down for tonight. The two of you need to get ready to go." Cecile said from up on the hanger.

"Well, I hope you fine what you're looking for…See you later."

"Yeah, see you tomorrow."

The next day Sai headed for the Government Bureau while wearing his Britannian soldier uniform in search for Nonnette. She was waiting for him inside Cornelia's personal office. Once he got inside he began walking down the halls looking for Cornelia's office.

"Okay, I think this is the correct office." Sai said to himself as he knocked on the door.

"Come in." A voice on the other side of the door answered.

Sai hesitated first because the voice didn't sound like it belonged to Cornelia or Nonnette but he entered the room anyways. Once he got inside he didn't see Nonnette or Cornelia but instead saw a pink-haired girl close to the same age as him sitting at a desk while doing something on her computer screen. She then looked up and saw Sai standing in the room.

"Oh, hello…Is there something I can help you with?" The girl said with a sincere smile on her face.

Sai then noticed that this girl was Euphemia Li Britannia, Cornelia's younger sister, and then formed an embarrassed look on his face.

"I-I'm sorry sub-viceroy. I was looking for the viceroy's room and accidently entered your room by mistake. I'm sorry for disturbing you."

Sai then got ready to leave until Euphemia stopped him.

"Wait, don't leave yet. Don't you need someone to help you get to the viceroy's room? I can give you the correct directions." Euphemia said as she walked over to where Sai was standing. Sai couldn't help but take a good look at her while she walked towards him and then noticed how gorgeous she was.

"Y-Yes, I would appreciate your help."

"I believe I haven't seen your face before. Are you someone new here?" Euphemia questioned him.

"That's right, I'm here on behalf of Lady Nonnette. She asked me to come here to help deal with the terrorists causing trouble in Area 11. I was on my way here to meet up with her in the Viceroy's office."

"I see...I'll take you to her then. Oh, and you can just call me Euphie okay."

"W-what…but that would be so informal of me."

"That's fine…I hate it when people close to the same age as me call me Princess or Sub-Viceroy. Euphemia or Euphie is good enough for me."

"W-Well okay then, Euphemia it is."

"Oh, that's a nice pendant you got wearing around your neck." Euphemia said pointed at the pendant on Sai's necklace.

"Oh, this thing. It's just a good luck charm that one of my previous clients gave to me. He told me that if I wore it I would be protected by the unknown forces…Whatever that meant."

"I see…well in any case we better get going."

"Yes, please lead the way."

Sai and Euphemia then left her office and began walking down the hall towards Cornelia's office.

Meanwhile…Cornelia and Nonnette were already in the Viceroy's office holding a discussion while waiting for Sai to arrive.

"It's been a while since we seen each other hasn't it Cornelia…or wait, we call you Viceroy Cornelia now don't we." Nonnette said to her old colleague.

"Well if it isn't Nonnette Enneagram. There's a face I would rather not see. What brings you here to Area 11?" Cornelia questioned Nonnette.

"I heard back in the homeland that you were having trouble with a pesky terrorist called Zero and his band of resistance fighters. I found it hard to believe that terrorists would be giving you a hard time so I decided to come down here and give you a helping hand."

"Look, you may be a knight of the round now and while that title let you do as you see fit I don't want your help in dealing with the Black Knights. I'll eliminate them myself."

"Fine, fine, I won't interfere with your little brawl with Zero but I do recommend this soldier into your ranks." Nonnette said as she handed Cornelia a picture of a young soldier.

"So this boy, Michael Steinberg, codenamed Sai, what's the story with this one? Is he going to be of any use to me?"

"Well as his real name suggests, he is from the noble Steinberg family. Do you know remember what happened to the head of the Steinberg family?"

"Yes, I do…He and his wife died a few years ago in an accident didn't they?"

"Not just any accident. It was caused by an explosion from terrorists while they were in Area 6. When their son figured out it was because of terrorists, he decided right there and then that he was going to become a Britannian soldier. You see, his belief is that terrorists are the reasons why people suffer and get hurt. So he takes it upon himself to stop terrorism wherever it occurs in the name of justice and peace. Now do you see why I wanted to station him in Area 11?"

"I see…in that case he'll have plenty of opportunities to stop terrorism if he's here. I'll try to make as much use out of him as I possibly can."

"For now though I left him in the care of the Camelot crew. I heard they needed more skilled knightmare pilots to test their new machines and since he is also good at piloting knightmares I figured it was best to put him with that bunch."

They then heard someone knock on the door.

"Come in." Cornelia voice resounded.

The door then opened and Sai and Euphemia walked in.

"This is the Viceroy room. I hope to see you again one day." Euphemia said to Sai.

"Yeah, I hope to see you again soon." Sai responded.

Euphemia then waved goodbye and headed back to her office.

"I see that you finally showed up. So, are you ready to go? I already arranged you to have an audience with Miss Kaguya Sumeragi."

"Yeah…I'm ready."

"Let's get going then."

Nonnette and Sai then headed for the NAC meeting room up in the Fuji Mountain. Nonnette stayed back at the entrance while Sai entered the large room. There he saw Kaguya sitting down on a cushion while drinking some tea. He walked up to her and introduced himself to her.

"Hello there, are you Miss Kaguya?"

"Yes, I am…What does a Britannian soldier wish to speak to me about?" Sai could tell that her words were kind of harsh towards him.

"Umm…yes, I was wondering if you know anything about something called the Sumeragi's Legacy. I have been asked to find it for my client."

"I'm sorry, but I never heard of anything like that."

"Huh…What do you mean? Surely your parents have told you something about it."

"My parents died back in the Second Pacific War and I was still young at the time. And besides, even if they were alive they probably wouldn't know what you're talking about either. Although…"

"Although what…?"

"There is one person who might know what this thing you're looking for is."

"And who is that?"

"My aunt, Shizuka Sumeragi."

"And where can I meet her?"

"I'm sorry to say this but she has already passed away. If anyone knew what the Sumeragi's Legacy was it was probably her."

"Oh, I see…"

"After all, my Aunt Shizuka has been regarded as one of the greatest person from the Sumeragi family to have ever live as well as one of the best people to have come from Japan. Not only was she intelligent, but she was also a great martial artist and a master at using swords as well. With her great fighting abilities and gifted intellectual it was even rumored that was she was better than _Tohdoh the Miracle Maker_. She was nicknamed _Shizuka the Silent Grass Slasher _because the weapon she wielded was the legendary Kusanagi Blade and was said that she could cut through tall grass with it without making a sound."

"If she was that great than how did she die, if I might ask?"

"I was told that she died in a mysterious house fire along with her husband, her two children, and her husband's relatives. No one knows how the fire started but it was said that she and the others were all burned alive in there."

"I'm…sorry to hear of their passing away."

"Oh yeah, I have a picture of her if you want to see what she looked like."

Kaguya then took a photo out and handed it over to Sai. He took a look at it and saw a woman with black hair who Sai presumed was Shizuka, her husband, and two kids."

"That photo was taken five years ago." Kaguya pointed out.

After he looked at the photo Sai handed it back to Kaguya.

"Well, thank you for telling me everything that you know. Good day Miss."

"Good bye, I'm sorry I wasn't able to be of much help to you." Kaguya said waving her hand goodbye.

(Kyoto's POV)

Once the Britannian soldier was gone Kirihara, who have been listening to their entire conversation from the shadows, came out and confronted Kaguya.

"I have been listening to your entire discussion. You did a good job in keeping the Sumeragi's secret hidden away from those Britannians. I don't know what that boy was after, but I have a feeling it wasn't good." Kirihara told Kaguya.

"Well of course I didn't tell him what the Suemragi's Legacy is because I really don't know what it is. It was the first time I heard anything like that."

"What…you mean you really don't know what it is?"

"Nope…like I told that guy, if anyone knew what he was talking about it would be Aunt Shizuka." Kaguya said as she looked back down at the photo of her aunt.

"Well, since Lady Shizuka is already gone this Sumeragi's Legacy is probably well hidden so it's very unlikely the Britannians would find it anyways."

"What about you Kirihara, do you know what the Sumeragi's Legacy could be?"

"I only know that your Aunt Shizuka was involved with it somehow. She wouldn't tell me much about it, only that it was something passed down through the Sumeragi heir and that it was started by Saburo Sumeragi."

"Wow…it goes all the way back to him. That means this thing is about 1000 years old. It's really ancient isn't it?"

"Yes, all the way back to your ancestor Saboro Sumeragi."

Kaguya then got up to her seat and began walking towards the door in the back of the room.

"Where are you going?" Kirihara asked the young girl.

"I'm off to see what I can find out about this thing called the Sumeragi's Legacy. And I want to find out more about my aunt, Shizuka."

"That going to be kind of difficult to do especially since most of her stuff isn't even here anymore. And most definitely after she…"

(Britannian Military POV)

_"Well I wonder what I should do now. I thought that girl Kaguya might have known something about what I was looking for but now I'm out of leads. It's going to be hard to find something when you don't even know what it looks like. I guess I'm going to have to put this little side quest of mine aside for now and focus on my regular duties as a Britannian soldier."_

As Sai continued walking down the streets he saw Suzaku in his Britannian soldier uniform and decided to meet up and talk to him.

"Hey Suzaku, wait up."

Suzaku turned around and saw Sai running up towards him.

"Oh, hey there Sai."

"Where are you going?"

"I was asked by Miss Cecile to pick up some things for her at the grocery store." Suzaku said while holding a list in his hand.

"Oh I see…do you mind if I tag along?"

"Sure, I don't mind."

Suzaku and Sai then headed for a nearby grocery store to go pick up the supplies. Once they got inside they started to go down the aisles and picked up everything Cecile asked them to get. When they got everything they needed Suzaku and Sai were about to go to the counter to pay for the stuff when they saw a two thugs enter the store. One of them walked up to the cash register and then pulled a gun out and pointed it at the cashier.

"Cashier, if you wish to live then you better hand me all the money you got stored in that cash register of yours." The thug demanded.

"O-Okay, just please don't shoot me and stop waving that gun of yours around." The cashier said in a frightened tone of voice.

"Just give me the money and no one gets hurt. And make it quick too." The thug said while still pointing the gun at the cashier.

Suzaku then put all the stuff he was carrying on the floor and immediately went to action.

"Hey Suzaku what are you…" Sai whispered but then he saw Suzaku rush towards the thug. He jumped and, while in the air, spun around and kicked the thug right in the face. The thug fell over and dropped his gun. Suzaku then had the thug pinned down on the ground. While Suzaku had the thug preoccupied the cashier pushed a button underneath the counter that signaled the police to come here.

"Why you…!" Another thug said as he pulled a gun out and pointed it at Suzaku.

Sai dropped everything he was carrying and ran over to the thug. He then grabbed the thug's wrist and twisted it while holding it over the thug's back.

"You will not fire that!" Sai said to the second thug.

It caused the thug so much pain and discomfort that he dropped his weapon.

"Okay, okay, I won't resist anymore…Just stop that." The thug begged.

"Using my name as a Britannian soldier you two are under arrest for trying to rob a store." Suzaku said as he and Sai had a hold of the two thug robbers while they waited for the police to arrive. When they did finally arrive the police officer took the two thugs into custody.

"Oh man, I knew it was a bad idea to try to rob a store." The first thug said.

"Hey, you want to go back to beating up Elevens when we get out of jail?" The second one asked.

"No, don't you remember, we don't do that kind of thing anymore."

The officers then closed the door on them and then drove them off to prison. Back in the grocery store the cashier thanked Suzaku and Sai for their heroic efforts.

"Thank you both for protecting our store."

"No, it was nothing." Suzaku said.

"We were just doing our jobs as Britannian soldiers. It's up to us to uphold the peace in this land." Sai proclaimed.

Afterwards Suzaku and Sai paid for their things they headed off for the Camelot trailer. While they were heading there they started to have a conversation on the sidewalk.

"You did really well out there Suzaku." Sai said to Suzaku.

"I'm just doing my job to protect people that's all." Suzaku answered back.

"I was really impressed with that one move you did."

"Which one was that?"

"The one where you spun around in the air and kicked that guy flat in the face. What do you call that move?"

"It doesn't really have a name. It's just something I made up myself."

"Hey, you have to teach me that move. Whenever you have free time that is and if you even want to bother trying to teach it to me."

"I don't mind, although it would probably be difficult for you to learn that is."

Suzaku and Sai then arrived at the Camelot trailer and met up with Cecile inside. They then handed their bags to Cecile while Lloyd called Suzaku over to help check on the Lancelot's status. While Suzaku was doing that Sai walked out and headed for the port which was nearby. He stood at the spot where he fought the blue Japanese knightmare from last night and just looked out to the ocean with a calm and relaxed look on his face. After a while he heard someone approaching and saw that it was Nonnette.

"Is there something you need from me, Lady Nonnette?"

"I'm just here to wish you good luck on your new position."

"Oh, is that all?"

"Well we do need to have the right people in the right places after all. It's the only way to stop these terrorist activities going on."

"Terrorists…all they want to do is fight and kill people. And then wars start because of them. I will put an end to these Black Knights and lock them all up in a place where they won't cause anymore harm to people. I will defeat them all with new knightmare frame."

"Oh yeah, speaking about that, I took a look at that new knightmare frame of yours earlier today. The Lancelot Club, it looks like a pretty neat machine."

"Yeah, that's what I thought when I first saw it too."

"Well, good luck out there Mic…I mean, Sai. I'll be sticking around here for a few more weeks do if you ever need anything from me just ask…Although Lloyd and Cecile should be able to help you with all your needs."

"Alright, bye."

"Farewell."

They both waved bye to each other and Nonnette walked away. Sai continued to look at towards the ocean for a little bit longer until he heard Suzaku call out to him.

"Hey, there you are Sai. I've been looking all over the port for you."

"What is it Suzaku…Did something happen?"

"Lloyd said that we need to head out for a new mission with Cornelia's Royal Guards. He told me to get you and then head out for the meeting place to get the details from General Dalton."

"Okay then, let's go."

Suzaku and Sai then headed out for the meeting place which was in the Aichi Ghettos. Once they found Dalton standing right outside the borders of the ghettos he explained the mission plan to them.

"Okay boys, today our objective is to capture the Lieutenant Colonel, Tohdoh. As you might already know he was a soldier in the Japan army and then become a member of the Japan Liberation Front. Even though his leader Kitase is dead, there is a chance that Tohdoh and the remaining members of the Japan Liberation Front will try to join the Black Knights. We need to capture him to put an end to the JLF once and for all. This is also to also prevent the Black Knights from obtaining a very powerful asset and to prevent their numbers from growing. Speaking of the Black Knights, there is a chance they will appear again like they did at our Saitama Ghettos operation. You two will destroy anyone who gets in our way whether they're the JLF, the Black Knights, or any other resistance group. Only the target needs to be alive. Do you two understand that?"

"Roger that sir." Sai promptly said with a salute.

"Roger…" Suzaku weakly said.

Sai took notice of Suzaku's response.

"Good, we'll begin in ten minutes." Dalton said while walking away.

Once Dalton was gone Sai began talking to Suzaku.

"Is there something wrong Suzaku?"

"It's just that…the person we're after today just so happens to be someone I know. He was my fighting instructor back when I was young."

"I see…I guess this mission is going to be kind of hard for you then."

"Yeah, but I'm not going to let that stop me. If Colonel Tohdoh is going to be involved in resistance movements against Britannia, then I have no choice but to stop and arrest him for his crimes."

"Yeah, that's right."

The two boys then got in there knightmares and was ready to start the mission. Cecile began talking to the boys over a communicator before they took off.

"I wish you two good luck on today's operation. We're expecting good results from you two. And Sai, today you will be using the Varis Rifle instead of the Custom Rifle. It's the same one that Suzaku's Lancelot uses."

"I see…I'll try to make good use of it then."

"Okay, Z-01, you are ready to take off."

"Right, this is Suzaku and Lancelot, I'm going now."

The Lancelot then took off and headed straight down into the Ghettos. After he left the Lancelot Club was ready to go.

"Okay, Z-01b, your frame is ready to launch now."

"Right, this is Sai. I'm taking off in the Lancelot Club."

The Lancelot Club then shot out of the trailer and quickly joined up with its brother unit.

"Okay Suzaku, let's do this." Sai said over the communicator

"Right, we'll put an end to this once and for all." Suzaku responded back.

Once they got into they saw the royal guards in their Gloucesters either taking out Burais or searching the ruins looking for Tohdoh. Suzaku and Sai then joined them and started taking out enemy Burais as well. Sai took out the Varis Rifle and had the Lancelot Club shoot down the enemy frames.

"Wow…this gun is amazing. It only takes one shot to take down one frame. With this, I'll be able to put an end to this fight in no time." Sai thought to himself.

The enemy Burai tried to shoot down the Lancelot Club with their assault rifle but Sai just made the Lancelot Club pull up its Blaze Luminous Shield to repel the bullets. As Sai continue to shoot them down, he looked over at the Lancelot and saw it shooting down the frames as well with its Varis Rifle. He then saw the Lancelot charged toward a Burai and then the Lancelot spun in the air and kicked the head of the Burai off.

"Are you serious? He can do that special kick with his Knightmare as well? That guy sure is something else." Sai said shocked at what he saw.

After that Sai continued to destroy several enemy frames until most of them were gone.

"Do you see that…This is what happens when you try to oppose Brtiannia and resort to terrorism. All you manage to do is hurt yourself in the end and several innocent people as well. True peace will never come from actions like that."

Sai then received a message from General Dalton.

"We're done mopping up most of the enemy units on the surface but we haven't found Tohdoh yet. Commander Guilford and I are going to search underground with our units. Also, we just received word that the Black Knights are coming. The rest of you guys stay up there and hold them off until we find Tohdoh."

"I understand."

After he cut communication Sai turned around and saw new knightmares heading into the Ghettos. These Burais were colored to represent they were from the Black Knights. Also among them was a red knightmare.

"Sai, you help me deal with the red one." Suzaku said over the intercom.

"Right."

While the Gloucester dealt with the Burais, the Lancelot and the Lancelot Club went after the mysterious red knightmare.

"You need to watch out for that red knightmare Sai. That one is difficult even for me to handle. When you're in close combat with it you need to watch out for its right hand. It has some kind of special heat wave attack that can melt away at your machine and weapons."

"I see…in that case I should keep my distance from it."

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club began shooting their Varis Rifles at the red machine but it just glided past the shots and kept getting closer to the two. The Lancelot then pulled out its MVS Sword and swung it at the enemy unit. The red knightmare countered with a fork knife and clashed with the Lancelot's sword. Sai then took the opportunity to raise his Varis Rifle and shot a blast at the enemy frame but at the last moment the red knightmare jumped away. While the knightmare was still in the air the Lancelot shot a slash harken at the red knightmare but it just warded it away with the fork knife. Once it was back on the ground the red knightmare shot a blast from its grenade launcher but the Lancelot blocked it with the Blaze Luminous Shield.

"Sai, I'm going to try to distract the red knightmare again. While I do that, can you try to shoot at it again with the Varis Rifle. I'll give you mine as well while I fight it at close range." Suzaku said as the Lancelot tossed its Varis Rifle at the Lancelot Club. The Lancelot Club then caught it with its free hand and now held both Varis Rifles."

"I'll do my best." Sai said.

The Lancelot then pulled another MVS Sword out and charged straight forward toward his red foe. The two knightmares then exchanged blows at each other with the red frame dodging both the MVS Swords and the Lancelot dodging the fork knife and its special right arm. The Lancelot then kicked the red frame back and Sai used this opportunity to attack. He then shot a blast out of one of the Varis'. The red frame was still trying to get it footing straightened but managed to protect itself but using its right hand to create a heat shield around its arm and stopped the attack like that. As soon as it turned it off Sai shot a blast from the second Varis and this time managed to get a direct hit on the frame. The red frame then fell backwards and hit the ground.

"Yeah, we did it!" Sai yelled out.

But his celebration was short-lived as the red frame got back up and revealed that while it was damaged it was still operational.

"What…! That frame is still able to move after that…What kind of armor does that thing have?"

The red frame then charged straight after the Lancelot Club with its right hand glowing red.

"Sai, watch out!" Suzaku yelled.

Sai then had the Lancelot Club pull up its Blaze Luminous Shield trying to block the attack and while it was able to hold the radiation back for awhile the shields eventually broke.

"Oh crap, you mean that attack can break through my shields?" Sai said out loud.

Immediately after that the red frame used its fork knife to knock one of the Varis Rifles out of his hand and then grabbed the Lancelot Club's head with its right hand.

"Oh no…this isn't good." Sai worryingly said.

The right hand then started to glow red until Suzaku came to help.

"Sai…!" Suzaku yelled as he released four slash harkens from his Lancelot and wrapped the wires of the harkens around the red knightmare. Suzaku then pulled the knightmare away from the Lancelot Club and the enemy unit had no choice but to go of the Club's head. The red knightmare was then trapped in the slash harken wires and was struggling to free itself.

"Sai, I got a got hold of this knightmare. Shoot it down."

"Right."

Sai then got his other Varis Rifle ready and had it at point blank range at the red knightmare's head. The Lancelot Club was about to fire when several bullets came flying in causing the Varis Rifle's projection to get off course and the shot went up into the sky. A sword then knocked the Varis out of the Lancelot Club's hand. Sai looked to see who it was and saw that it was the blue knightmare he fought last night at the port.

"So it's you again…My worthy foe from last night!" Sai yelled out.

The Japanese blue frame then kicked the Lancelot Club with its foot and the Club when tumbling over onto the ground. The blue knightmare then went over to the Lancelot and the red knightmare. The Japanese frame then used its sword to cut the wires of the slash harkens off to free its comrade. The blue and red Japanese knightmares then jumped to the other side of the street. Sai made the Lancelot Club get up and stood next to Suzaku's Lancelot.

"Suzaku, I think we can take these two. That red one should be weakened." Sai said as he pulled his MVS Lance type Sword out.

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club were both ready to charged until the Blue knightmare began releasing some kind of smokescreen. The two Japanese knightmares then backed away and retreated into the smog created.

"Wait…Come back here!" Sai said as he charged into the smokescreen but he couldn't find them.

"Oh dang it, my IFF screen is all screwed up again."

Sai then received a message from General Dalton.

"We have managed to capture Tohdoh in the underground of this ghetto. We will be taking him to the prison held at the Choufu base and will execute him in a few days. You and Warrant Officer Kururugi have done well today. Our job here is done. The two of you can return home." Dalton then cut communications.

"It looks like we accomplished our goals here. The mission was a success." Sai said to Suzaku.

"Well it looks like our job here is done. Let's call it a day." Suzaku answered back.

"Yeah…sure."

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club then headed back for the Camelot trailer.

Moving on to the next Stage…

**OC Profiles**

**Codename: Sai Real Name: Michael Steinburg**

**Age: 17**

**Hair Color: Light Blondish-Brown**

**Hairstyle: Short wild hair**

**Eye Color: Dark Brown**

**Nationality: Britannian**

**Allegiance: Britannia, Britannian Military, Camelot**

**Rank: Royal Guard of the Knight of Nine, Knight**

**Occupation: Britannian Soldier, Knightmare Pilot**

**Knightmare Frame: Lancelot Club**


	16. Chapter 16

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 16: The Rescue Operation and the White Knights

"Thank you for all your hard work today Rai." Milly said as I finished stacking up chairs in the school auditorium.

"This is the last thing I needed to do for you today isn't it?" I asked her.

"Yes, you're free to go now. Although…"

"Although…?"

"It's nice to see you back at school again. For a while there I barely saw you after school. But recently you stopped going out into the settlement and spend most of your time in the student council room with the other members."

"Well…that's because there's nothing really interesting going on in the settlement right now. And besides, you're practically letting me stay here at this school for free. Doing work for the student council is pretty much my only way to repay you for your kindness."

"Oh stop, you're going to make me blush Rai."

"Sorry…"

"Oh don't be. I'll see you tomorrow Rai."

"Yeah, see you later." I then watched Milly as she exited out the doors.

In actuality though doing student council work was the only thing I could do right now. Ever since the battle at the port Zero never returned to the Black Knights hideout. He was hiding out somewhere recovering from that battle. According the reports Zero and his Burai got badly beaten by that White Knightmare. Since Zero never returned and only communicates by calling Ohgi or Diethard our activities have been severely reduced. Because of that there wasn't really anything for me to do out in the hideouts so I stopped going there and remained at Ashford for the past few days.

The only time I went out was when Kyoto sent us a request at the last minute to go provide backup for the sole remainder of the JLF at Aichi Ghettos. Kallen called me to get out to the hideout as quickly as possible so we could go. Because the request came on such a short notice when we did arrive the Britannian Military had already finished off most of what was left of the JLF. When we received news from Diethard that Tohdoh got captured we had no choice but to retreat. That was the second time we failed to protect the JLF. I felt that, if Zero was there and we received the request sooner, we would have succeeded in this operation. Afterwards I continued to stay put at Ashford Academy.

Once I left the auditorium it was already dark outside and the moon began to glow brightly in the night sky. I was heading for the clubhouse when I saw Lelouch standing near the riverbank while holding something in his hands. I quietly approached him without letting Lelouch know that I was there and saw that he had a red notebook and a lighter. I quickly recognized that the notebook he was holding looked very similar to the dairy I helped Shirley buy a while back. The next thing I knew Lelouch started to burn the notebook with the lighter. Why in the world is he doing that? I decided to call out to him.

"Hey Lelouch, what are you doing over there?" I yelled out as I approached him.

Lelouch seemed to be shocked when he heard my voice and immediately threw the burning notebook into a nearby trash can which was empty.

"Oh, good evening Rai. What are you doing out here this late?" Lelouch said as he regained his cool composed posture.

"I could ask you the same thing. But I was just coming back from helping Milly with some student council work. You know…the school festival is coming up you know."

"I see…"

"But I was wondering…that book you were burning, that wouldn't happen to be Shirley's diary now would it?"

"What makes you say that?" Lelouch said with a stern look on his face.

"That notebook you were burning looked very similar to a diary I help Shirley picked out one day."

"Oh, is that so…but I'm sorry to say that you're incorrect this time. You see, I was burning an old journal I used to use to record events for the student council. But since I got them all listed down on my laptop I don't need it anymore."

"I think I understand."

Even though I said that I couldn't help but feel that notebook I saw was actually Shirley's. I also felt that Lelouch was trying to hide something from me. Or maybe I'm just being pessimistic.

"Hey, you haven't eaten supper yet have you? If you want, you can eat with me and Nunnally tonight." Lelouch said inviting me in.

I then remember Nunnally telling me that I was free to come eat with them anytime I wished to.

"Okay, I think I'll accept your offer."

"Really, that's great. Nunnally and I don't really get that many visitors so I think she'll be happy to have you join us tonight."

Lelouch then started to walk back to the clubhouse. I took a quick look inside the trash can and saw that the notebook has already burned to ashes. I then hurriedly follow after Lelouch as we both entered Nunnally's room.

"Oh, is that you big brother? Welcome home." Nunnally said as she welcomed Lelouch into her room.

"Good evening, Master Lelouch." Nunnally's maid Sayoko said.

"Yeah, it's good to be back home Nunnally, Sayoko. I even brought a guest with me tonight."

"Hello there Nunnally." I spoke out to her.

"Oh, hello there Rai. It's nice to see you again." Nunnally said to me.

"Sayoko, can you prepare three bowls for us and some tea as well?" Lelouch asked his maid.

"Sure thing, I'll have it ready right away." Sayoko then headed off for the kitchen.

While Nunnally sat at the head of the table Lelouch sat in the chair to her right while I sat two chairs down from her left. Sayoko then came out with three bowls of soup and placed them on the table in front of the three of us. As the three of us ate supper we started to have a conversation.

"Hey Rai, do you know about the Black Knights?" Nunnally asked me.

"Huh…y-yeah…I heard about them." I tensed up for a moment when Nunnally said the Black Knights.

"Lately, I've been hearing several things about them on the news…It's a bit scary."

"Scary, huh…"

"Yeah, a lot of incidents have been happening, and at this rate the people won't be able to live in a peaceful set of mind. They might be called chivalrous criminals, but there are also a several people who just want to live here in peace as well. I understand their point of view, but…I think it would be best if things could be resolved more peacefully.

"Yes, it would be nice if things could be resolved like that." Lelouch said as he joined in on our conversation.

"I'd like to talk to Zero myself, while drinking tea…If we did that, I have the feeling we would have a peaceful conversation."

"Yes, I think Zero would be very willing to accept your offer. If only he knew that you existed…" Lelouch calmly said as he placed his hand on top of hers.

After we finished supper, I bid farewell to Lelouch and Nunnally. I have to remember that the current me is a member of the Black Knights. However, in order to stop this state of affairs and bloodshed, I have to think about how to better this world in my own way. Yes, I have to strongly think about the things to come in the future.

When I returned to my room I laid down on my bed and started to think about Nunnally talking about Zero. I then suddenly started to think about Lelouch. Now that I think about it, Lelouch has been home for quite some time recently and been attending his classes again. And this has been starting ever since Zero mysteriously disappeared. Could this all just be a coincidence? Or could it be that Lelouch and Zero are…No, that can't be right.

I then turned over and lay on my side.

According to what Shirley and Milly say, while Lelouch may be smart they say he's a lazy oaf who doesn't really do anything. But still…

The next day I entered the student council room with a bunch of paperwork I recently finished. No one else was around right now so I just placed my papers on the table and took a seat in a chair while I took a breather. As I relaxed in silence I looked at Arthur the cat, who was messing with someone's pouch that was laying on the floor. It must have belonged to Milly, Shirley, Nina, or Kallen.

Arthur continued to play with it until a knife sprung out of it. The cat became terrified when it saw the knife and fled in fear. Curious, I got up and walked over to pick up the pouch. I then put the knife back in its hidden compartment. Well that's strange, who in the world would stash a knife away in their pouch, and for what reason. Well I don't think Milly, Shirley or Nina would do something like this so it must be…

"Oh, there you are Rai. I've been looking for you." Kallen said as she entered the student council room. She then looked at what I was holding and saw that it was her pouch.

"I see that you found my pouch. Thank you for finding it for me. I've been looking for that thing."

"So tell me, would you mind explaining to me why there is a knife hidden in your pouch?"

"What, were you going through my stuff?"

"Of course not, it's just that Arthur was messing with it earlier and the knife accidently popped out."

"Well if you must know the knife in that pouch is used for eliminating anyone at the school or the settlement who discovers my true identity."

"You would go that far just to make sure your identity stays a secret."

"Well when you live a life like I have, you have to take measures like these to avoid getting caught by those Britannians."

"I suppose that makes sense."

Kallen then began to walk over to where I was standing to get her pouch back. As she was walking Arthur the cat ran out and walked in front of her. Her foot then tripped on the cat and Kallen began to fall forward. Upon seeing that I immediately placed her pouch on the table and went over to catch her in my arms while her face went into my chest.

"Hey, are you alright?" I asked Kallen as her face came out and she started to look up at me.

"Huh…I…uh…Yeah…" Kallen began to say as she had a confused dazed look on her face.

I then heard Milly walking into the room.

"Hey Rai, did you finish the paperwork I asked you to do and…" Milly then looked over at us and saw that I had my arms around Kallen which caused her to form a smile I did not want to see.

"My, my, the two of you seem to be very _close_ to each other now." Milly said to the both of us.

"No, this isn't what it looks like…I-it was an accident…Arthur was the one who caused it." Kallen said as she tried to explain what happened.

"Y-Yeah, this isn't what it looks like Milly." I continued on saying.

"Even if you say that, it doesn't look like an accident to me." Milly insisted.

"Oh, never mind, I don't even know why I bother trying to explain things to you anyways. You always believe what you want to believe anyways." Kallen lashed out.

"Okay, okay, don't get so upset Kallen. It must be an accident if you're reacting like this."

"Come on Rai, let's go." Kallen said as her hurriedly picked up her pouch off the table and walked out of the room.

"Well Rai you better get going. You wouldn't want to keep her waiting." Milly teasingly said.

"Huh…oh, right." I then followed after Kallen.

Once I found Kallen in the courtyard she told me that I should get my stuff and head for the hideout as soon as possible. Apparently Zero is going to be coming back tonight and we will be heading out on a new mission. Kallen went on ahead while I went to my room to pick up my Black Knights stuff and placed them into my bag. I then walked out of my room and was about to leave the Ashford grounds when two Britannian soldiers approached me. One was a woman with blue hair. If I remember correctly her name was Cecile. The other solider was a guy that was probably about the same age as me and he had blondish-brown hair. I never saw him before.

"Excuse me, but you are one of Suzaku's friends aren't you?" Cecile asked me.

"Yes, I am." I replied.

"Can you tell us where he is? We need him right now for something important." Cecile said wondering where Suzaku was.

"Oh Suzaku, he's over there in front of the clubhouse." I said as I pointed towards the clubhouse where Suzaku was sitting with Nunnally and Lelouch.

"I see him now…Thank you." Cecile said as she headed towards the clubhouse.

"Thank you for helping us." The boy said as she followed after Cecile.

I then continued on my way to the Black Knights hideout.

(Outside Rai's POV)

_"If things continue at this pace and keep proceeding according to plan I won't be able to stay with Nunnally any longer. That affair with Mao drove home the fact that I need someone to protect my little sister. Whoever that person would be if Nunnally is the one who gives them a reason to live then…"_

Suzaku then noticed that Lelouch was staring at him and called out to him disturbing Lelouch's thoughts.

"Lelouch…is something wrong?"

"I need to…tell you…" Lelouch was then interrupted by two Britannian soldiers who ran up to the front of the clubhouse.

"Suzaku…Lloyd said something urgent has come up."

"Who are they…?" Lelouch asked Suzaku.

"They are soldiers that I work with." Suzaku answered.

"Are these your friends?" Cecile asked Suzaku.

"Yes, they are." Suzaku said as he looked at Nunnally and then at Lelouch.

"I'm sorry…but I need to pull Suzaku away from you for awhile." Cecile said apologizing.

"But…"

"Don't worry…I told you it's alright. That guy isn't going to be coming back here."

"Come on Suzaku, we need to get going." The male soldier said.

"Right...I'll see you guys later then."

"Please come again Suzaku." Nunnally said to Suzaku.

"Don't worry, I will."

"Suzaku…" Lelouch called out to his friend.

"Huh…what is it Lelouch?"

"When you return there's something I want to discuss with you. It's an important matter."

"Uh-Oh…I'm nervous. I'll talk to you when I get back."

Suzaku then left with the Britannian soldiers.

"Well it seems that Suzaku is very important to them…I'm glad." Nunnally said to Lelouch when Suzaku and the others were gone.

"Nunnally…you seem…fond of Suzaku…am I right?" Lelouch asked his sister.

"I adore him…But of course I love you more than anyone Lelouch."

Lelouch seemed shocked by Nunnally's answer.

"I see."

Sayoko then came to watch over Nunnally as Lelouch got his things together and headed out for the Black Knights hideout as Zero.

(Back to Rai's POV)

While everyone was getting everything ready for tonight's operation I was sitting down with Kallen who was wearing her new pilot uniform for her Guren. Tonight we were going to join up with the Four Holy Swords and go on a rescue operation to save Colonel Tohdoh at the Choufu Base who was going to be executed tonight. This time I was going to make sure the mission succeeded.

"Hey Rai, I was wondering about something." Kallen spoke out to me.

"Huh…uh yes, what is it?"

"I've been looking at your battle data for the Proto-Gekka and I noticed that you use your RBS Sword more than you do the Radiation Surger. Even though the Radiation Surger is a more powerful weapon why do you insist on using your sword?"

"Hmm…I don't know…that's a good question." I then thought about it for a moment.

"Well I guess it's kind of like this…whenever I think of a weapon I imagine a sword forming itself in my mind."

"So that means your weapon of choice would be a sword huh. I guess that makes sense."

I then got up and was ready to check the Proto-Gekka's status until Kallen stopped me.

"Oh, and about earlier today…in the student council room…I'm sorry for…

"What do you need to be sorry for? It was an accident wasn't it? You shouldn't worry about it too much."

"Yeah I know but…"

I was then suddenly greeted by the Four Holy Swords.

"Hello there, you are Rai correct?" The one called Urabe said.

"Yes, I am."

"We would like to ask a favor from you before we begin our operation to rescue Colonel Tohdoh." Asahina said.

"What do you need from me?"

"Before we pilot our Gekka we were hoping you would give us some pointers on how to pilot them correctly before we enter the upcoming battle. Your commander Zero told us that we should come to you for assistance on this since you pilot the pre-production version." Senba said to me.

"We would really appreciate you telling us everything you know about the Gekka." Chiba said.

"Umm…I don't mind but…" I then turned to Kallen and she just waved her hand forward.

"Go ahead Rai…I need to go check on my Guren anyways." Kallen then got up and headed for her machine.

"Well, I'll try my best to show you everything I know."

The Four Holy Swords members were then excited and thanked me for deciding to help them. I then followed the Four Holy Swords and went over to where their Gekkas was. Unlike the Proto-Gekka, the mass production model of the Gekka was colored gray and was missing the Radiation Surger arm. Instead, it just had a normal hand manipulator. I then began telling and showing them how to operate and the special specs of the Gekka. Because the Four Holy Swords were all veteran soldiers though they were quickly able to figure everything out about the Gekka. If fact, there wasn't really much for me to say.

Meanwhile, the preparations for the operation steadily progressed and soon Zero joined us and helped work out the specifics of the plan. This plan, simply narrowed down to the objective of rescuing Colonel Tohdoh, was bold. The Four Holy Swords would break through the front gate in their Gekkas in order to attract the attention of the forces inside the base. Meanwhile, Zero and Kallen in her Guren would go rescue Tohdoh. The Black Knights would provide support until the Four Holy Swords broke in, and then after Colonel Tohdoh's rescue he will board the frame we bring in for him and we would withdraw while being given support. Moreover, the absence of Cornelia's main forces in order to suppress the armed revolt in Ishikawa Ghetto was another good sign for the operation. I was in charge of taking care of the enemy forces around the circumference before the start of the operation.

"Rai, are you listening?"

While standing-by inside my cockpit, I received a communication from Rakshata in the command car.

"Please try to test out the limits of the Radiation Wave as far as you can. I want data from it, the data."

"Yes, I understand."

"Rai, it's time for you to begin your part of the plan…Move out!" Zero said to me over the intercom.

"Right, I'm heading out."

I rushed out of the trailer I had been standing-by in, and caused an uproar on the main street that lead to the base's front gate. The street was full of military trucks which seemed to be bringing supplies to the base, waiting in line at the gate's checkpoint. I applied my Radiation wave on the rank and file trucks as I moved along the roadside. The high frequency attack showered over the trucks. They all instantly exploded from within and blew up one by one in a blazing fire.

As I approached the gate, two of the Sutherlands who were guarding the gate came forward.

Underestimating me because I only had one frame, they had commenced a careless charge without any strategy whatsoever. These people weren't anywhere near the skill level of Cornelia's personal forces. While avoiding the enemy fire, I came up to one of the Sutherlands, grabbed the frame, and used my Radiation Wave on it. The upper part of its frames expanded and exploded after a second of delay.

The other Sutherland activated its stun tonfa and mindlessly charged at me. I drew my sword and clashed its stun tonfa with my sword. I then pushed the Sutherland back and then lunged forward to grab it with my Radiation surger. I then activated the Radiation Wave to destroy that frame as well. Four more Sutherland then came charging in. These must be the remaining guards on this side of the base. I immediately retreated in an attempt in to draw them away from the gate.

Checking my radar, it seemed as if the gate had become practically deserted, just as planned. Taking along my pursuers this way as they chase after me, I drove fast down the road. Once I thought we were far enough I swiftly turned my frame around and slashed right through the Sutherland that was closest to me with my RBS Sword. Immediately after that I fired my slash harken at another Sutherland and dragged it down to the ground. The remaining two Sutherlands stopped and began firing their assault rifles at me. I made the Proto-Gekka jump through the bullets and then shot the head of one of the Sutherlands off using the handgun. I then sliced through the Sutherland with the RBS Sword. For the last one I just quickly grabbed it with my left arm and used the Radiation Wave to finish it off. I then contacted Zero.

"Zero, this area has been cleared."

"Understood, we'll move to the next step then…Head in now!" Zero yelled out to the Four Holy Swords.

Since my duty was finished here I returned to the trailer where Rakshata and her crew were.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Inside the Choufu Base Suzaku, Sai, Cecile, and Lloyd were sitting on a couch together while a staff officer gave them some papers to sign.

"What…you need my signature again?" Lloyd said out loud.

"Even though Princess Cornelia ordered this, there are still some formalities that need to be followed. A change of executioner is the most exceptional of circumstances." The staff officer said.

Sai was sitting next to Suzaku and saw that his friend had a freaked out look on his face.

_"Yeah, I know how you feel right now Suzaku. It's painful when you have to take someone's life away, especially someone you know."_ Sai thought to himself.

There was then a sudden explosion occurring in the fortress.

"What was that?" The staff officer shouted as he looked around.

Outside the window there was a fire in the distance of the base.

"Good, now we're free of all this hellish paperwork." Lloyd said pleased.

"Suzaku, let's go." Sai said.

"Right, we better head out there." Suzaku said as he and Sai got up and began to head for their Knightmares.

Meanwhile where the explosion was taking place four Gekkas broke through the unguarded gate and began smashing through Sutherlands using their RBS Swords and handguns.

"Colonel, we're coming to save you." Chiba declared.

"These Gekkas are awesome…Way superior to the Burai." Asahina said.

"Yeah, you got that right." Urabe agreed.

Meanwhile at Tohdoh's prison room…

"I've been just order to unofficially execute you before you're busted out of here…Any last words?" The guard said as he opened the prison door.

"It's a life I gave up once before. It's worth nothing now…" Tohdoh sadly said.

"In that case I'll claim your life for myself!"

Zero's Burai and the Guren then busted into the room knocking the security guard unconscious. Tohdoh then looked surprised when he saw Zero approach him.

"Kyoshiro Tohdoh, the only Japanese who seven years ago brought the mighty Britannian forces to their knees in defeat."

"You mean Itsukushima…You want me to perform a miracle for you as well?" Tohdoh haughtily said.

"That was no miracle. It ended in victory because it was based on excellent intelligence works. That's why I want you."

"I pledged my loyalty only to General Kitase. Now that he's dead I wish to die as well."

"Don't be a coward! You must take responsibility…responsibility for the miracle that you made! The Area 11 resistance movement is more intense than any other area because Japan surrendered before exhausting all its military strength. You failed to continue the great hope known as the Miracle of Itsukushima."

"You're saying it's my fault?"

"Yes, people grasp at illusions because they're desperate for miracles. Why else has there been rapid use of Refrain? You must not ever…till the bitter end beyond all that's decent and then you can die. Till the name of Tohdoh the Miracle has grown ragged and tattered."

"You're telling me that the Japanese people can't accept their defeat until then?"

"Until now they had to accept it. However now that I'm here there's hope because I can likely turn their dreams into a reality."

Tohdoh then simply smiled as came into the Burai with Zero. Zero and Kallen then came back out into the open base where the Four Holy Swords and a trailer that contained a special customized Gekka. This Gekka is a special customized Gekka made for Tohdoh's personal use based on the data collected on the Proto-Gekka. Tohdoh's Gekka was also colored black. Tohdoh stepped out of Zero's Burai and entered the Gekka. The Four Holy Swords approached the trailer to welcome their leader back.

"Colonel!" Chiba shouted out.

"Welcome back Colonel Tohdoh!" Asahina said.

"Thanks, you all worked hard for this." Tohdoh said to his comrades.

"It was no effort at all sir." Senba insisted.

"Cooperate with Zero! Eliminate the remaining forces here!" Tohdoh's order resounded.

"Roger!" All the Four Holy Swords members said at once."

"Now all the tasks at hand have been cleared. And Nunnally's knight has already been chosen. That leaves only…" Zero said to himself but suddenly a slash harken came flying in. Thankfully the Guren jumped upward and knocked the harken away with its fork knife. From a distance the Lancelot and Lancelot Club came charging in.

"Damn, what are they doing here?" Kallen wondered.

"Well how convenient. The two problems left have come here on their own." Zero said pleased.

Meanwhile at an art museum Euphemia was in the middle of a painting contest where she was having difficulty deciding who the winner of the contest should be.

"Please you're highness…it's time for you to decide. We can't wait any longer." The museum owner said.

"I know but…"

Several of the audience's cell phones then began ringing off. A soldier then ran up to general Dalton and whispered something into his ear.

"What do you mean Tohdoh escaped?" Dalton said out loud.

A report on the battle scene, courtesy of Diethard, was then shown live on television and everyone in the room began to watch it.

"That's crazy!" One of the audience members said.

"It's two against seven!" Another said.

"But those Lancelot frames appear to holding on their own."

"Whoa…he dodged it!"

"You show them White Knightmares!"

Back on the battlefield the Lancelot shot a blast from its Varis Rifle while the Lancelot Club began shooting with its Assault Rifle. The four Gekkas dodged the attacks and split into two groups to attack the Lancelots with their RBS Swords. The Lancelot managed to block the swords with its Blaze Luminous Shields while the Lancelot Club quickly formed a dual-wielding MVS Lance to clash with the RBS Swords.

"They're skilled fighters aren't they Sai?" Suzaku said to his partner.

"Yeah, they sure are. And their frames are about as advanced as ours. This is going to be a difficult one for us." Sai replied back.

"Oh my…aren't those new enemy models amazing? They appear to be a mass-production model of that blue knightmare from before." Lloyd said from a distance away from the battle site.

"However Ms. Cecile…in hindsight, it certainly quite fortunate that the Lancelot's trailer is our primary means of transport."

"No, it's because you spent our entire budget on the Lancelot and those other knightmares Prince Schniezel asked you to make. That's the hindsight." Cecile replied.

(Back to Rai's POV)

"Thank you very much for all your hard work. I've gotten some good data. And also, things have started to get interesting." Rakshata said as she saw me walk into the trailer.

"Interesting…?" I said confused of the current situation.

I looked over and saw an image was forwarded to the monitor. It showed the battle situation here inside Choufu base. It seems like the battle is being reported live on TV. Colonel Tohdoh also seems to have been rescued and joined the battle as well.

"The White Knightmares…"

"My Guren and Gekka together are just as good as those two frames…Something like those White Knightmares are so mortifying." Rakshata proclaimed.

Even though those two knightmares are here Kallen and the Four Holy Swords should be able to deal with them. I don't think there was any need for me to head out there so I just remained in the trailer.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Zero, do you have any data available on these units?" Tohdoh asked Zero over the communicators.

"Possibly…at least I do for the one with golden trims on it. However, I want you to do exactly as I say."

"Ah, very well…I'll refer to you on this."

"Okay…Tohdoh, you and the Four Holy Swords will deal with the golden trimmed one while Kallen will keep his brother unit distracted. Can you do that for me Kallen?"

"Just leave it to me."

Kallen then took off in her Guren and charged straight at the Lancelot Club with her right hand extended outward. The Guren then slammed right into the Lancelot Club, pushing it away from the Lancelot. The Guren then tried to use the radiation surger on the Lancelot Club but it had its Blaze Luminous shields activated until it finally broke through.

"And now this is payback for trying to blow my head off the other day!" Kallen yelled as the Guren's left hand punched the Lancelot Club's body and then kicked the frame down.

"Damn, that red frame is something else. According to Lloyd and Cecile's report, the Red Knightmare is supposedly the most dangerous knightmare the Black Knight's have. And now I see why. I might have my work cut out for me this time." The Lancelot Club then got up on one of its knees as it continued to fight the Guren with its dual-wielding MVS Lance.

_"Sai, he needs my help!"_ Suzaku thought as he saw the Lancelot Club fall down on in back. The Lancelot tried to chase after them but the five Gekkas prevented him from doing so.

"Now everyone give him some distance!" Zero said as the Gekkas kept out of the Lancelot's striking range.

"Its movements follow a predictable pattern. Its initial attack is always straight on. It never feints that first move."

The Lancelot then swung its MVS Sword at one of the incoming Gekka but it jumped over the Lancelot with ease.

"Once you dodge that attack it immediately moves to avoid your offensive. Check the data I am sending you."

Asahina then appeared from a nearby corner and was ready to attack the Lancelot with his RBS Sword.

"Hey, he's really doing it."

The Lancelot tried to get its Varis Rifle ready to use but Asahina knocked the rifle out of its hand with the RBS Sword.

"Right, so now his next move will be…"

The Gekka then got ready to shoot its handgun but the Lancelot quickly jumped backwards.

"Falling back to the rear…Coordinates X-2-3."

Tohdoh then appeared behind the Lancelot in his Gekka and prepared his sword.

"And with that…Check!"

The Gekka then attempted several stabs at the Lancelot but it kept dodging until the top hatch of the cockpit was struck.

"Who dares anticipate my moves…No matter."

Tohdoh then ripped the top part of the cockpit off which revealed the pilot of the Lancelot to be none other than…Suzaku Kururugi.

"Damn it, it doesn't have an ejection block!" Lloyd screamed out.

"What, we didn't install one!" Cecile yelled.

"Oh no, Suzaku!" Sai said as he used the Lancelot Club's slash harkens to jump over the Guren and rejoin Suzaku. Kallen looked to see where the Lancelot Club was going and saw Suzaku sitting in the Lancelot's pilot seat.

"Wait a minute…Suzaku is the pilot of that knightmare!" Kallen yelled out.

"No way…" Zero said.

"Is that really you….Suzaku?" Tohdoh said.

"Zero, what now? Give us our next instructions…Zero!" Kallen cried out to Zero.

Zero however was too shocked to say anything.

"All this time it was him…Suzaku? But why…Why are you there! You can't be here because you…you have to be by Nunnally's side." Zero said to himself."

Back at the art museum the crowd was making a big commotion about seeing Suzaku piloting the Lancelot.

"Hey, isn't that?"

"Yeah, it's an Eleven!"

"That's Suzaku Kururugi!"

"The one accused of killing Prince Clovis?"

"They let an Eleven pilot a knightmare?"

"That's enough…Turn off the monitor now!" Dalton ordered but was suddenly stopped by Euphemia.

"Wait, please! I would like to watch it till the end." Euphemia ordered.

Back on the battlefield…

"Hey Suzaku, are you okay? Can you still operate your knightmare?" Sai asked over the communicators.

"Yeah, the controls are still working. I can continue to fight."

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club then pulled out their swords in each of their hands and charged forward. Suzaku went after the Tohdoh's Gekka while Sai went after the other Gekkas. The Lancelot and the black Gekka then drew their swords into a deadlock. Tohdoh then opened the hatch of his knightmare to talk to Suzaku.

"Don't do this Suzaku!"

"Colonel Tohdoh! So then, you want to live more than you want to follow your own principles?"

"Do I disappoint you? Very well, then keep to your schedule and execute me!"

The Gekka and Lancelot continued to struggle through the deadlock.

"What's wrong…That's the reason you're here, isn't it? You have become a cowardly boy who afraid of altering the status quo!"

"Denying everything in our society is pointless! Once I make them trust me I'll have the power to change it from within!"

"Are you serious!"

"I'm dead serious!"

"Then you must continue down that path…regardless of whether you win or lose you'll achieve nothing unless you're prepared to sacrifice everything. And that goes for countries as well as individuals." Tohdoh said as he broke away from Suzaku and closed the hatch back up.

"R-Right."

"Zero, what do we do…capture him or… Zero!" Kallen cried out wanting Zero to give the order.

"We're destroying the White Knightmares, you got that!" Senba yelled out.

"Wait for Zero's orders!" Kallen insisted.

"We're not waiting for Zero. Don't you remember, we only follow Colonel Tohdoh's orders." Chiba said.

"Don't do it!" Kallen yelled out.

"No wait, stand down!" Zero commanded as he finally came back to his senses.

"Don't worry…we can handle it from here." Asahina said as the five Gekkas charged towards the Lancelots.

"Kururugi…release the harken boosters quickly! The password is my favorite food. And Sai you need to activate the sniping mode of the assault rifle. Cecile and I customized it so it can shoot more quicker, charged shots."

Suzaku then used the Lancelot to shoot all four of its slash harken and it quickly knocked the swords out of all the Four Holy Swords Gekka's hand. Sai then unveiled the sniping mode of the assault rifle and quickly shot a charged attack which quickly knocked out not only the black Gekka's sword, but half of the knightmare's arm as well.

"Huh…that was some attack." Tohdoh said surprised.

The Lancelot then threw one of its swords and hit Senba's Gekka. Asahina then came to give supporting fire with his handgun.

"Are you okay?"

"Interesting fighting style they use." Senba said amused.

"This time Asahina, circle around to the left…"

"Stop it! We done enough fighting for now. We achieved our objective here. Use escape route three. Withdraw immediately!" Zero order resounded.

Tohdoh then noticed Briatannian reinforcement arriving.

"An unwinnable battle is not the same as a lost battle. You seem to be very well aware of that Zero." Tohdoh said as the five Gekkas released chaffsmoke and they made their escape.

"Hey, wait!" Suzaku said as he tried to chase after them but Sai stopped him.

"Suzaku, there's no point in chasing them now. Our knightmares have had it. We need to return to Lloyd and Miss Cecile. Hey, Suzaku…" Sai said as he tried to talk with Suzaku who wasn't listening.

"Tohdoh…I'm your…I am your foe!" Suzaku said as he watched the Black Knights flee.

Back in the museum…

"Look, they're running!"

"He fought them off…The Black Knights?"

"Suzaku…Well done." Euphemia quietly said.

"Damn traitor! Why won't he follow them?"

"Because they're Elevens like him."

"Of course, I thought two against seven was a little too much!"

"Princess Euphemia, what is it?" Dalton asked her.

Euphemia then called out to the audience.

"All of you…I'll now answer the question you asked me earlier! You wished to know who I was going to choose to be my knight correct? The knight I have chosen will be the young man you see before you. Warrant Officer Suzaku Kururugi!"

After she said that the audience started to have a big commotion as they looked at Suzaku up on the monitor screen.

(Back to Rai's POV)

The operation had been a success. We had rescued Colonel Tohdoh. However…

When we all got back from the operation I saw Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords get out of their Gekkas and heading for the lounge. They were probably going to take a break from the last operation. I then looked over at the Guren and saw Kallen standing in front of it. She seemed dumbstruck about something. I decided to walk over there and speak with her.

"Rai…" Kallen said as she called out my name.

"Yes, Kallen…"

"Did you hear…about Suzaku?"

"Yes, I saw it all from Rakshata's monitors. Suzaku is the pilot of one of those White Knightmares isn't he. Hey, are you okay?"

"I can't believe…Suzaku is…We'll have to fight him again, won't we?"

"We have to be prepared for what we must do. If Suzaku insists on being a Britannian soldier, we'll have no choice but to wipe him out." Even I knew that much.

"You're so strong Rai, you know that. I'm sorry…I understand…I understand, but…"

"Listen Kallen, when the time comes, if it's too hard for you…I'll be the one who does it. I'll be the one who kills…Suzaku Kururugi."

"Thank you, but I'm alright. Together, let's fight together, you and I, for the future of Japan."

"Yeah…together…"

We then heard Zero laughed madly inside his Burai.

(Outside Rai's POV)

While Lelouch was laughing uncontrollably from inside his knightmare C.C. was standing on top of a ledge next to Lelouch's Burai while she talked to herself.

"So Lelouch, how does it feel to know that you're best friend turned out to be your greatest enemy? There must be several things running through your mind right now. And that one…" C.C. then began to look at Rai.

"That one is starting to show more and more of his true colors every day. Even that seal I placed on him won't hold for long. But I'm not worried. At this point I don't really care if he regains his memories or not. He more or less turned out the way I wanted to anyways."

(Back to Rai's POV)

After Zero stopped laughing I saw him get out of his Burai and started to head for his office. I bid farewell to Kallen and went to go speak with Zero. I stood in front of his door and knocked.

"Hey Zero, can I come in?"

"Sure, come on in."

When I entered the room, Zero was sitting in his chair as usual.

"You and Kallen are both close to Kururugi Suzaku at Ashford Academy aren't you?"

"Yeah, that's right."

"I myself started laughing uncontrollably when I found out."

"Yeah, I heard you."

"Did you know, he is the son of Japan's last prime minister, Kururugi Genbu, yet he fights with Britannia for the sake of Japan and stands in our way. It's hilarious isn't it? However, if he continues to stands in our way, we must get rid of him."

"Yeah, I'm already aware of that."

"It's true that the White Knightmares are strong. But I'm not worried. Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords have joined up with us, and we already have Kallen and her Guren. And above all, we have you. You're the most important member here."

"M-Me…?"

"Yes, you…I believe you will be the deciding factor in our final battle against Britannia."

I just stood there in silence.

"Oh yes, I believe Colonel Tohdoh wishes to have a word with you."

"With me…what for?"

"I don't know, but I believe he and the Four Holy Swords are resting in the lounge right now."

"In that case I better go see them then." I then left Zero's room and went to the lounge.

When I entered the lounge I found Tohdoh sitting down with the Four Holy Swords at his side.

"You must be Rai, aren't you?"

"Umm…yes, that would be me."

"You helped me out during the last battle at Choufu base. I must express my thanks for that."

Colonel Tohdoh stood up and bowed his head in respect. The Four Holy Swords followed his example and bowed down in the same manner.

"Huh…No…That's…"

Feeling nervous from their expression of gratitude, I put my hands unconsciously at my side as I also made a profound bow back.

"Zero told me about you on our way back, and I feel that it was thanks to your actions that the battle was a success."

"Your guidance as an instructor for controlling the Gekka was also very helpful." Senba pointed out.

"No, there was little I had to teach you in the first place. As expected of the Four Holy Swords. I was very surprised."

"No, the fact that we are able to cut our way through that battle, despite having never crossed blades with the White Knightmares up until then, was thanks to your teachings beforehand." Chiba said.

"Since Lieutenant Senba was unsteady on it, after all." Asahina joked around.

"Be quiet you…I won't fall behind next time." Senba brushed Asahina's remark aside."

"For referencing future tactics, I looked into your battle records though it was impolite, but you really do have incredible skill as a knightmare pilot."

"Huh…Really…?"

"One of these days, I hope I can have a match against you." Tohdoh said proposing a challenge.

"Huh…you wish to go up against me? I guess that would be fine, although I don't think I would stand a chance against someone like you."

"We are proud to be able to fight alongside you. I believe that your existence is the light of the Japanese people who suffer under Britannia's violence."

Honestly, I couldn't feel the truth in that statement. However, he said that my existence could be of some help to these people…to the Japanese. Is the proof that I'm Japanese my reason to exist…Is my place here? After that, I was called out by the Four Holy Swords, and was invited to a meeting in the hanger."

"So what exactly is this meeting about?" I asked them.

"We're going to have a discussion about piloting and making use of the Gekka." Asahina said.

"Since you also pilot a Gekka you should come join us and have a drink." Urabe said as he held a case of sake in his hands.

"Hey wait a minute, that's sake isn't it? I'm just a student, I shouldn't be drinking that!"

In reality, they were going to have a drinking bout.

"A boy who can fight well on the battlefield is already considered a man through the eyes of a soldier." Senba said.

"Oh, don't worry. I went and prepared some tea for you. Is that okay for you?" Chiba said as she held a cup of tea in her hands.

"Well I suppose, as long as that tea doesn't have any alcohol in it."

The five of us then sat around in a circle in front of the Gekkas that belonged to the Four Holy Swords.

"It's been a long time since I've had such good sake." Urabe said as he drank his sake cup.

"You're right…We've all been tense until we managed to rescue Tohdoh." Asahina pointed out.

"I'm really am grateful…for the help…of the Black Knights…" Chiba said as tears rolled down her eyes.

"I'm just glad that I can fight once more with the Colonel…Long Live Japan!" Senba shouted out.

It seemed like they're all drunk already.

"As expected, sake is the only real alcohol! How is Rai's diluted shochu tea?! You really know how to drink there." Urabe said as he continued to drink more sake.

He didn't seem to have noticed that the contents of my cup were ordinary tea yet.

"Japanese rice, Japanese water, and together they make Japanese sake. It's impossible for it not to be delicious…This Japan, this beautiful Japan, why is this all being…giving to Britannia." Senba called out.

"Lieutenant Senba, it's alright. With Colonel Tohdoh here, Japan will stand up once more…A miracle will definitely happen again." Chiba said to Senba.

"That wasn't a miracle. Really now, so many people just misunderstand it. General Kitase was like that as well…Geez, everyone just doesn't get it. What makes Tohdoh truly amazing." Asahina said while he laughed.

"Hey, haven't you guys been drinking too much? Hic…" Urabe said as he started to hiccup.

"By the way, where are you from, Rai?" Chiba asked me.

"I don't know." Was all I could say.

"His real age is also unknown. He can be considered as both an adult and a child, depending on how you want to think of him. Well, I suppose that you must envy that kind of position, don't you, Chiba?" Asahina said jokingly.

"I'm still plenty young myself." Chiba commented and then poked Asahina's head.

"I apologize for my colleagues' bad manners. It's only when we're among comrades that we act so uncouth. Well, please forgive them." Senba said to me.

"That reminds me, Chiba. What happened to that fish you caught last time? Did you already cook it and serve it to the Colonel?" Urabe asked Chiba.

"What!" Chiba shrieked out.

"After the colonel told her that he loved grilled fish, she desperately tried to learn how to fish and cook it." Asahina pointed out.

"That has nothing to do with the colonel!" Chiba insisted.

"Oh, then how about the time you trained yourself in homemaking and…" Chiba once again poked Asahina's head.

"So what's your favorite food Rai?" Senba questioned me.

I abruptly looked down at my tea. Because I have no clear memories of my past yet, I didn't really know how to answer that.

"The daily…lunch special, at my school's cafeteria…I guess…"

"You're speaking vaguely once again." Senba said.

"Since I don't know my likes and dislikes from before, I just eat whatever's served to me. That can also be called my taste…right?"

"What about sashimi? It's an ingredient that Japanese people like to put in fresh food." Urabe said.

"Since Britannian cuisine is the mainstream in the settlement and at school…I haven't had many chances to try it."

"Those foreigners in the settlement just don't understand the Japanese sense of taste, like our tofu, natto, and seasonal herbs." Chiba said listing off foods.

"The seasonal herbs are good, but I'd recommend cicadas in the summer. Red dragonflies are also good in autumn. After lightly roasting it over a fire, you eat it starting from the head." Urabe said as he licked his lips.

"Wait a minute…Urabe, don't teach him such strange things!" Chiba shouted out at Urabe.

"But it tastes good though…" Urabe said looking down.

"We only eat things like that when there's nothing else to eat." Senba pointed out.

"That's right, though it's a little better if you have some soy sauce to go with it." Asahina said.

"Asahina's love of soy sauce is certainly extreme." Chiba said.

"Not only does he pour soy sauce on watermelons and in pudding, his taste is so bad that he puts it in his coffee." Urabe said.

"It's only a few drops. Besides, soy sauce is an all purpose seasoning." Asahina said with a grin.

"Please forgive them. It's because they've been forced to act as soldiers for a while now." Senba said to me.

This is certainly a gathering of lively people. However, I suddenly realized that there was a deep and dense smell of alcohol surrounding us. My eyes also started to get blurry as I started to lose consciousness and fell over.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Oh look, it appears Zero's Special Ace has passed out." Asahina said.

"He must have drank too much sake." Urabe said while in a still drunken state.

"You fool, he wasn't even drinking any alcohol!" Chiba shouted out at him.

"Well how was I suppose to know?" Urabe said as he withdrawn himself.

"He must have passed out with all this smell of alcohol in the air." Senba said as he picked up Rai and placed him on a nearby bench.

"Come on, we need to leave and let him get his rest."

The Four Holy Swords then got up and left the hanger.

(Back to Rai's POV)

When I regained consciousness, I was lying on top of one of the hangar's benches.

"Have you woken up?" I heard a voice call out.

"Huh…Kallen?" I dizzyingly said.

"Geez, a student like you isn't supposed to be drinking sake! It causes trouble for the Four Holy Swords as well…"

"But I didn't drink any sake, honestly." I said as I shook my hands in front of me.

"Hmmm….I suppose I'll believe you. Even though this place reeks of alcohol, to the point where it actually hurts my eyes…"

"What happened to the others?"

"You mean the Four Holy Swords? After they carried you here, they probably went out to get more sake in the ghettos."

"I see…ugh…my head hurts." I said as I held my hand over my head.

"Here, drink some water."

"Thank you."

I took the offered water and poured it down my throat. Kallen sat down next to me on the bench as she watched this display.

"You seem to have hit it off with those guys. It must have been a lot of fun. And yet they've only just met you."

"Yeah, I learned a lot from them."

"All this time, I have been fighting together with you at my side and yet I…"

"Huh, what was that?"

I couldn't hear her that well because of her low voice. I was still feeling light-headed.

"It's nothing!" Kallen quickly shouted out.

"What were you about to say…?"

"I said it was nothing. Why don't you just lie down, you drunk!" Kallen said as she pushed me away from her and threw a cold, moist hand towel at my face. I wonder if Kallen had prepared it for me.

"It would be a problem if you came to school smelling like alcohol. Just sleep here until you feel better. I'll make up some excuse for you. I'll be going now. Make sure you don't come to school with that appearance!"

"Hmm…Sure…Thanks…" I said as I placed the cold, moist, towel on my face and went back to sleep on the bench.

(Outside Rai's POV)

As Kallen was making her way out of the hanger she turned around and took one more look at the silver-haired boy sleeping peacefully on the bench. She simply smiled at him and began thinking to herself.

_"Rai…I…As much as I want to learn about your past and help you recover your memories…for some strange reason…I keep having this feeling that…if you were to regain your memories you would leave the Black Knights…and you would leave me…If my fears were to ever come true…I'm going to do whatever it takes to keep you here…"_

Kallen then walked out of the hanger…

Moving on to the next Stage…


	17. Chapter 17

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 17: Kamine Island-The Island of E

As Rai slept he started dreaming…

As a silver-haired boy came out of a blue colored Glasgow two figures began walking up to him. One was a middle aged man and the other was the young blond-haired girl Rai had seen from a previous vision.

"Good work today, that's my boy." The middle aged man said.

"Next time we will try out Simulation Types C3 and E5." The blond-haired girl said.

And then the dream shifted to a room where a traditional Japanese sword was neatly placed on a small table with a cloth under it. Its sheath lied right beside it.

The dream then took Rai to a place he had never seen before. He saw a temple floating at what seemed to be an endless evening sky. The structures of the temple seemed to be ancient. Sitting on the steps to the temple was a woman who looked very similar to C.C. except she had dark blue hair and while her hairstyle was about the same as C.C., this girl's hair was a bit shorter. And then all of a sudden, behind the woman and the temple, a huge bird-like sigil appeared in the sky.

(Rai's POV)

I yelled out as I fell off the bench and onto the floor. I must have been dreaming. What were those dreams about I wondered? Now that I about it I wonder what time it was. I then got up and started to walk around the hanger.

"Oh, it's you." Colonel Tohdoh said while meditating in front of his Gekka.

"I'm sorry, am I disturbing you?"

"No, I don't mind."

Colonel Tohdoh then stood up as he holds onto his katana in his left hand.

"So, are you up for a sword match against me?"

"Huh, you want to go up against me right now? But I don't even have a sword." I confusingly said. You mean he was actually serious about what he said last night. Tohdoh then tossed a wooden sword at me.

"We'll just do a practice fight with wooden swords. Are you ready?" Tohdoh said as he picked up another wooden sword that was placed next to him.

"Uh…sure…"

Tohdoh and I started to have a mock sword fight in the hanger. We clashed swords several times while dodging and blocking the other guy's attacks. After going a few rounds we attracted the attention of the Four Holy Swords. They stood and watched as Tohdoh and I went at it.

"That guy is pretty good isn't he?" Asahina commented.

"He's good, but still not close to the Colonel's skill." Chiba said.

"Yeah, but look at them go." Urabe said as he watched.

"Too bad it's almost over already." Senba said.

I then went forward attempting a stab with my wooden sword but Tohdoh simply dodged it like it was nothing and quickly knocked my weapon out of my hands with his sword. I then went flying backwards as he knocked me down.

"Oww…Well, I lost. I guess I'm not as good as I thought I was." I said as I scratched the back of my head.

"No, your swordplay was excellent. It's just that your moves were…how should I put it…out of balance. You probably could have done better and you were also shaking a little as we fought." Tohdoh said as he helped me up.

"Oh, is that so…I guess I'm still lacking in resolve."

"Also, I've seen that style of fighting before. I can't remember whose it was but I'm sure I went up against it before." Tohdoh then closed his eyes trying to think about it but just shook his head in distress.

"I'm sorry, I just can't remember. It's been a long time since I seen it."

"That's fine."

After bidding farewell to Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords I went to the lockers. I then put my Ashford Uniform on and got my other things in my bag. Afterwards I headed to Ashford Academy. When I got to my room I threw my bag on the bed and headed for the student council room. There I saw Milly, Shirley, Rivalz and Nina watching something on the news.

"What are we all watching?" I said as I walked into the room.

"Oh, we're watching Suzaku's ceremony. He's going to become Princess Euphemia's Knight today." Milly said as I walked over to where they were.

Suzaku is going to become a Knight of Britannia? I couldn't believe it. I then watched as the ceremony began.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Who cares if he is an Honorary Britannian? Making an Eleven a knight is…"

"And they're broadcasting it live."

"How did he ever win her favor?"

"Even a Princess has needs…if you know what I mean."

"Shh…be quiet, he's right there."

The entire audience talked amongst themselves as Suzaku walked down the hall and approached Euphemia. Suzaku then presented himself before her and got down on one knee.

"Suzaku Kururugi…will thou upon this day pledge thy loyalty to Britannia and stand as a knight for the crown? Do thy wish to abandon thyself and be sword and shield for the sake of the greater good?"

"Yes, your highness."

Euphemia then took Suzaku's sword and placed it on his shoulder.

"I, Euphemia li Britannia, do dub thee Sir Suzaku Kururugi, as my knight."

Euphemia then returned Suzaku's sword and then he stood up and faced the crowd. At first nobody would clap for him. Then Sai, who was standing next to Dalton, raised his hands and started to clap. Then Lloyd clapped, followed by Dalton, and then everyone in the room started to clap for Suzaku.

(Back to Rai's POV)

After the ceremony was over Milly turned off the television.

"Okay guys it's time to get ready to work for our next party project."

"And what would that be?" I asked her.

"Why, to celebrate Suzaku becoming a knight of course. He's a member of the student council so we have to do something to commemorate his achievements. Rai, you're in charge of bringing all the tables to the main hallway of the clubhouse."

"Yeah, I got it." I then headed off to do my duties."

(Outside Rai's POV)

Later that night Zero announced a new organization of the Black Knights to its members in the main room of the new submarine Rakshata got for the Black Knights. All the important members of the Black Knights were present, minus Rai who was doing work for the Student Council.

"Our new chief of military affairs will be Kyoshiro Tohdoh."

Everyone seemed pleased to hear this announcement, especially the Four Holy Swords.

"Taking charge of all intelligence, espionage, and public relation matters…Diethard Ried."

"What…a Britannian?"

"Not to mention his media ties."

Several members of the Black Knights seemed upset when Zero said that.

"Zero, I'm not a racist but what's your reasoning for placing a Britannian in such a sensitive position?" One of them asked Zero.

"Reasoning…And what about me I asked all of you. I'm not Japanese either. You all know this. What matters is the ability to get results. Who you are and where you're from have little consequence. Moving on now, my deputy commander will be Kaname Ohgi."

"Who, me…?" Ohgi asked confused.

"Do you object?"

"N-No…"

"Well, you were our leader to begin with." Sugiyama said.

"A newbie can't take that job right?" Minami said.

"The person in charge of engineering and development will be Rakshata.

"Well of course." Rakshata said.

"Captain of the Zero Squad…Kallen Kozuki."

"The Zero Squad?"

"Yes, an elite guard under my direct command. Think of yourself of my personal forces."

"An elite guard…Zero…" Kallen was pleased with her new position.

Zero then started to give out positions for everyone else in the room.

"And with that our reorganization is complete. Are there any questions?" Zero asked the crowd.

"What about C.C. or Rai. Are there no positions for them?" Kallen called out.

"Oh yes, them…I'm still trying to find the perfect spots for them. I'll announce their positions at a later date." Zero answered.

"Oh, is that so…" Kallen whispered to herself.

"Zero, may I add something?" Diethard spoke out.

"What is it?"

"There's one issue that needs to be dealt with. Can I discuss this with you and the others in the conference room?"

Diethard, Zero, Tohdoh, Ohgi, and Rakshata then headed for the conference room.

"Suzaku Kururugi…he's become a vocal point among Elevens who are Britannian supporters. I recommend he be assassinated."

"Assassinate him?" Zero questioned.

"He may be right. You've been the main focus of the resistance movement." Rakshata said agreeing with Diethard.

"People aren't moved by ideology alone. But the Britannians will hold this boy up as a symbol. I think that taking him out would be the smart decision right now."

"I object! The Japanese would be revolted by such a cowardly act!" Tohdoh protested.

"Yeah…and the Black Knights is not the business of killing the defenseless either. What do you want us to do…get him when he's alone and kill him straight out?" Ohgi said agreeing with Tohdoh.

"Calm down. I'm merely suggesting we minimize our risks in the most sufficient way possible. But it's Zero's choice after all." Diethard said while looking at Zero.

Zero just sat there silently.

The next day Lelouch sat in his room thinking about what he was going to do.

"First Suzaku is the one piloting the white knightmare and now he's become Euphemia's Knight as well. This isn't good. Who is going to be Nunnally's knight now? Is there anyone else besides Suzaku who could protect Nunnally?"

Lelouch then looked out the window and saw Rai sitting on a bench.

"Hmm…I wonder…would Rai be able to…No, that wouldn't work…And besides…" He then looked over at Kallen who was sitting next to Rai.

"There's already someone else for him."

"What's the matter? You can always use your Geass on Rai to make him want to protect Nunnally." C.C. suggested to Lelouch who was sitting on his bed while hugging her plush toy.

"Why do you always keep suggesting that to me?" Lelouch said as he turned to face her.

"Because, it's the easiest way to get someone to do what you want them to do, isn't it?"

Lelouch then gave C.C. a disapproving face and then walked out of his room while slamming his door shut.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I was heading for the clubhouse when I ran into Lelouch who wanted to talk to me about something.

"Hey Rai…Tell me, what do you think of Nunnally?" Lelouch asked.

"Huh…well, I think she's a good, kind and honest sister." I answered.

"I see…and what about you and Kallen…are you two…"

"Huh…me and Kallen…What are you talking about?"

"Oh, uh…never mind. I see I was getting to close and personal there. It's nothing…Please forget about it."

Lelouch then changed the subject.

"We need to be head for the clubhouse's main hall. Suzaku's party is in there and we should be there for him." Lelouch said as he left and entered the party room.

As his sister, I can understand him worrying about Nunnally, but what was he trying to say about Kallen and me? Was there something meaningful about that, I wonder? I then decided to push Lelouch's words aside and entered the clubhouse as well. Inside was juice and pizza on all the tables.

"Okay guys, time to raise a glass to Kururugi…valued members of the student council and knight of Princess Euphemia." Rivalz said as he poured juice into Suzaku's glass.

"Now let's get this party started!" Rivalz then raised his hands in the air. All the students then began to congratulate Suzaku.

"You have Nunnally to thank for all of this." Milly said to Suzaku.

"I'm sure you're tired of all the celebrations. If you don't mind we want to honor you too." Nunnally said to Suzaku.

"Not at all, it's really kind of you." Suzaku said.

I then looked over and saw Kallen enter the room. She was looking dead-straight at Suzaku and then started to walk towards him while carrying her pouch in her hand. Is she going to do what I think she's going to do, if front of all these people? I then walked behind her and when she raised her pouch up I grabbed her wrist which surprised her.

"Rai…what are you…?" Kallen said as she turned around and saw me.

I then whispered to her so no one close by would hear us.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you. The last time I checked, Zero hasn't given us any orders to kill Suzaku Kururugi."

"I know but…"

"You wouldn't want to disobey Zero's instructions now…especially you of all people. For now we leave him alone."

"Alright, alright, I won't do anything."

I then let go of her wrist and watched as she left. I looked back over at Suzaku who was talking with Lelouch now.

"Bad news Suzaku, you got more work to do I'm afraid!" Everyone heard a voice call out. We all turned to see a man wearing a lab coat. If I remember correctly his name was Lloyd.

"Uh, right…" Suzaku said.

"Do you know him?" Lelouch asked Suzaku.

"He's my boss." Suzaku shyly said.

Suzaku then walked up to Lloyd.

"So, do I have military duties again?" Suzaku asked Lloyd.

"Yes, an important visitor is arriving by boat. We're off to welcome him, along with the Lancelot and Princess Euphemia naturally. Suzaku and Lloyd then left the clubhouse. After the party was over Kallen and I received word from Zero to head out to the Black Knight's Submarine. There Zero began to discuss our next operation.

"Princess Euphemia is going to Shikine Island to meet a noble from their homeland. Her knight, Suzaku Kururugi, will be accompanying her. That far out into sea the enemy's strength will be severely weakened. It's a golden opportunity for us. Our objective is to capture Suzaku and his Lancelot. Once we won the battle I want Kururugi taken safely into custody."

"So, what happens after we got him?" Tamaki shouted out.

"Don't worry, just leave that part to me." Zero responded.

Our submarine then headed out for Shikine Island as we got our plan ready to go.

(Outside Rai's POV)

As they were heading out for Shikine Island on a boat Suzaku began chatting with Lloyd, Cecile and Sai.

"Why Shikine Island, the Tokyo Settlement would have been a lot safer wouldn't it?" Suzaku said wondering.

"Yes, I'm curious about that myself." Cecile said.

"Wha…You don't know either Cecile?" Suzaku said surprised.

"Me neither." Sai said.

"Ditto…" Lloyd said.

"You still shouldn't have said anything. After all, your loose lips got our plans leaked out onto the net."

"Whoops…" Was all Lloyd could say.

Their ship then arrived at Shikine Island. Suzaku and Sai then put their brown military uniform and hat on and went out to be welcomed by Euphemia who were protected by some private guards.

"Our arrival time is right on schedule." A staff officer said.

"Is it safe to assume that the ship is docking here?" Euphemia asked.

"Yes, that hasn't changed."

"This will do then."

"Very well, I'll just arrange an escort and…" The staff officer received static on his headset.

An explosion then went off at the base.

"Headquarters appears to be under some sort of attack!" An officer reported.

"We'll withdraw to the settlement. Can you arrange an escort for her?" Cecile asked.

"It's too risky right now. They're jamming us with some wide range interference."

"You're going to be fine. Don't worry Princess, I won't let any harm come to you." Suzaku promised.

"No Suzaku, you should help these men fend off the attack." Euphemia said.

"But Sub-Viceroy, this man is an Honorary Britannian. We're most likely dealing with the Black Knights here. What if he turns the Lancelot against us?"

"Umm…you do realize you're criticizing a member of royalty right?"

"Oh…uh…forgive me…I didn't mean to…"

"Kururugi, demonstrate your valor for us today. So we can finally silence all these nay-sayers." Euphemia ordered her knight.

"Right." Suzaku responded.

"Should I go as well?" Sai offered.

"No, you'll stay and protect everyone here." Euphemia said.

"Oh, alright then." Sai said disappointed.

Suzaku then got in his Lancelot and headed out for the battlefield.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I waited patiently inside my Proto-Gekka. My job was to protect Rakshata's new weapon, the Gefjun Disturber, the jamming device that Rakshata is so proud of. It seems like it uses a magnetic field to disable the power source of Knightmares.

"I think you understand, but make sure not to step into the effect range of the Gefjun Disturber." Rakshata said over the communicator.

"I understand."

Thanks to the stealth function caused as a bi-product from the device, we had the ideal conditions to set up a stationary trap. Zero's plan was to use himself as a decoy in order to tempt Suzaku into the trap, thereby capturing the Lancelot.

"Are all the preparations ready?" Zero asked.

"We're ready anytime now." Rakshata said.

Tohdoh and his Gekka, Kallen and her Guren, and Asahina's squad came charging in and started to destroy the enemy Sutherlands at the base. Eventually the Lancelot arrived and Zero proceeded to get the attention of the Lancelot, who then immediately chased after him. Kallen, Colonel Tohdoh, and the others then prepared to gather at the establishment point of the Gefjun Disturber through other routes. I made the Proto-Gekka lie in the thicket near the sandy beach as well. Coincidently enough, the blue frame blended in among the green of the trees without any trouble. Suddenly, Zero's Burai and the Lancelot passed right before me. Jumping over the sand dunes, they both landed at the bottom of a pit in the ground, right in the middle of the trap. Rakshata then activated the Gefjun Disturber and the Lancelot stopped moving.

"We need to talk Kururugi!" Zero said to Suzaku.

Our knightmares then began to surround the sand dune that Zero and Suzaku were in, standing outside the Gefjun Disturber's range.

"I suggest you come out! Your secondary systems should still be functioning. You'll be treated as a prisoner under international law. Of course, if you don't care to talk, we can just gun you down instead." Zero offered.

Suzaku and Zero then came out of their knightmares and met face to face.

"I'll get straight to the point Suzaku Kurururgi. I want you to join me." Zero said as he pointed a gun at Suzaku.

"Is that a threat? Well you can forget it! I already told you, results gained through the wrong methods are meaningless!" Suzaku responded.

"So, you wouldn't describe the peace we have now as worthless? If Japan would have resisted to its very last breath seven years ago, what do you think would have happened? The Chinese Federation and the E.U. would have stepped in and split Japan into three. They would be fighting even now. Our current peace is the result of Japan's immediate and unconditional surrender."

"That's right…And I've been fighting to preserve my father's peace ever since it began."

"You're wrong…Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi, elected by the people, didn't choose surrender. That decision was selfishly made by his killer. With the government thrown into chaos surrender became the only logical choice. The will of the people were stolen from them by a lone criminal pursuing his own selfish agenda!"

"How on earth do you know that?"

"There's only one way to atone now. Present the Japanese people with the choice they weren't able to make then. The path they were robbed of seven years ago fighting Britannia."

"Fighting them…that again!"

"It's an option worth exploring. Or would you rather drive the masses towards a future dictated by your own egotism. Do you call that peace?"

_"Do you read me, Major Kururugi…Please respond!"_ Suzaku received a contact through his headset.

"May I?"

"As you wish."

_"This is Lieutenant Major Fayer, commander of the Britannian base on Shikine Island. We're launching surface to surface missiles against the terrorists! Major Kururugi, you're orders are to keep Zero there!"_

(Outside Rai's POV)

_"What…they're giving him up to die!"_ Zero thought.

Suzaku then quickly snatched Zero's gun and dragged him into the Lancelot's cockpit.

"Kururugi, what are you doing?"

"I can't approve of your methods! All I can do right now is this!"

At the Camelot trailer….

"We've ordered the pilot of the Lancelot Club to escort her. For now, the sub viceroy should be able to escape from…"

"Wait…!" Euphemia cried out.

"You're going to destroy the Lancelot?" Lloyd yelled out.

"Kururugi is holding Zero there. This is our chance to kill him."

"And whose plan was this? Suzaku Kururugi is my personal knight!"

"It was a para-level one order. It can only be countermanded by consensus of three ranking generals or the viceroy herself."

"Then who issued this order! Get me a line to them immediately!"

"Para-level one order, sub-viceroy Euphemia."

Euphemia, who had enough of arguing with the officer ran over to the Lancelot Club and boarded the cockpit. Sai, who was already in the pilot seat with his uniform on became surprised when he saw Euphemia come in.

"Princess Euphemia, what are you doing…"

"Sai, I want you to take me to Suzaku. We have to stop them from firing those missiles."

"Is that an order or a request?"

"It's an order."

"Well in that case I have no choice but to do it. After all, we can't have out friend Suzaku dying on us now can we?" Sai then started up the Lancelot Club.

"Did you all hear that out there! Contact the base! Tell them there's a chance I'll be caught in the attack! See if they initiate their launch then!" The Lancelot Club then took off and headed to where the Black Knights was located.

"Hey you two, come back here!" The officer ordered.

"But they'll stop with the Princess out there won't they?" Cecile asked Lloyd.

"I'm not sure they'll will, unfortunately." Lloyd responded.

Back to the Black Knight's current situation…

"Incoming missiles!" Chiba said as missiles started to fly towards their location.

The Guren then jumped into the depression.

"Kallen wait, don't go in there!" Rai yelled although it was too late.

"Don't worry Zero, I'm coming!" But then her Guren stopped working because of the Gefjun Disturber.

"You're going to die here as well! You don't have a problem with that!" Zero yelled at Suzaku from inside the Lancelot.

_"Your sacrifice isn't in vain Major. We're about to put an end to the most dangerous criminal Britannia has ever known. They'll speak of your bravery for generations to come!"_

"Shut up!" Zero screamed.

"A soldier must always follow his orders!" Suzaku said.

"Hmph…Certainly easier than following your own heart! How do you feel about this?"

"You're wrong! I have rules that I made and need to live by!"

Rai then noticed a heat source on his monitor coming from behind and saw that it was the Lancelot Club.

"Commander Tohdoh, there's an enemy knightmare behind us! It's the other Lancelot! What should we do?" Rai told Tohdoh.

"You deal with that one. The rest of you knightmares form a barrage against the missiles! Empty your guns if you have to!" Tohdoh said as the Gekkas and Burais started to focus their attacks on the flying missiles.

Rai then charged forward in his Proto-Gekka and attacked the Lancelot Club with his RBS Sword. The Lancelot Club blocked the sword with its Blaze Luminous Shields.

"Hey, get out of our way! As much as I would like a rematch with you Blue Knightmare, I don't have time for you right now. I need to rescue Suzaku. You better hang on tight Princess Euphemia." Sai said.

"O-Okay…" Euphemia then tightly grabbed a hold of the back of the pilot seat.

The Lancelot Club then took out its MVS Lance and continued fighting with the Proto-Gekka.

"Suzaku, let Zero go! It's me, Kallen Stadtfeld from the student council." Kallen said as she got out of the Guren. Suzaku however couldn't hear her.

"Answer me…!" Kallen screamed as she ran towards the Lancelot but stopped when she saw a battleship floating in the air blocking all the missiles while forming a shield around itself.

Rakshata dropped the pipe out of her mouth when she saw the ship.

"They completed a float system? Well I'm outdone."

The Proto-Gekka and Lancelot Club also stopped when they saw the floating ship approaching.

"That's my brother Schniezel's Avalon." Euphemia said.

The Avalon then opened a hatch to reveal a huge knightmare that was about to shoot out some kind of blast.

"Damn it Suzaku, do something! You're going to die!"

"It's better than breaking the rules!"

"You stubborn fool!" Zero yelled as he activated his Geass and looked at Suzaku's eyes.

"Live…!"

Euphemia then got out of the Lancelot Club and started to run towards the Lancelot.

"Princess Euphemia, come back! It's too dangerous for you to be out there!"Sai yelled out but before he had a chance to go after her the black knightmare released its attack causing a huge explosion to form, blinding everyone's eyes. When he could finally see again Sai couldn't find Euphemia.

"Where did she go?"

The Lancelot Club then jumped down in the hole to look for Euphemia and Suzaku although he couldn't find them.

"Dang it, what's going on here! Where are they?" Sai said as he smacked the side of the cockpit.

(Back to Rai's POV)

After the explosion cleared I could finally see clearly again. I saw the Lancelot Club jump down into the hole but I didn't follow it.

"To all Black Knights soldiers, we are retreating!" I heard Tohdoh say.

All of our units then began to retreat to our escape points. I saw Chiba's and Asahina's Gekka carry the Guren but I didn't see Kallen in it.

"Wait a minute! Where's Kallen and Zero?" I asked.

"We don't know, but we can't let ourselves be destroyed here! Withdraw now!" Tohdoh's order resounded.

As much as I didn't want to leave Kallen or Zero behind I had no choice but to retreat with Tohdoh and the others. We headed back to the submarine and then we left, not knowing if Zero and Kallen survived or not.

(Outside Rai's POV: Suzaku's View)

Suzaku awakened to find himself on another island. He then got up and began exploring the forest in hope of food and water. As he was walking along he came across a girl with red hair.

"Excuse me! Are you…wait a minute…a Black Knights uniform…" Suzaku said as he saw that the girl in the red pilot suit was also wearing a Black Knights jacket."

"Suzaku…" Kallen said surprised but then immediately whipped out her knife from her pouch and charged at Suzaku.

"I don't believe it. It's really you!" Suzaku said as Kallen came at him. Suzaku dodged the knife and then flipped Kallen over and pinned her down.

"Kallen Stadtfeld, I don't believe it! You're a…"

"Don't call me by that name! My real name is Kallen Kozuki, I'm Japanese!"

"You're kidding, then you really are…"

"Yes, I'm a Black Knight! I'm not going to hide that anymore!"

"Well then Kallen Kozuki, I'm placing you under arrest for conspiracy and rebellion against Britannia!"

Suzaku then tied Kallen's arms and legs so she couldn't escape.

"I see…you don't know what happened either. When you came to you found yourself on this island. Is that right?"

"Hmph…so you're stranded here too huh…Serves you right! When my people get here, you're the one who will be a prisoner."

"You mean Zero will come to save you?"

"Without a doubt."

"Okay, before he does tell me one thing…tell me who he really is…"

"Why don't you find out for yourself?"

"Oh, I see, you don't know either."

"How did…"

"Isn't masking one's identity a bigger fraud? I'm curious…why do you follow Zero?"

"I don't know. Figure it out yourself."

(On Schniezel's Avalon)

"Oh my, who would have imagined a floating aircraft carrier! You told me to gather data before practical application, correct?" Lloyd said as he walked with Schniezel and Bartley while approaching Cecile and Sai who were checking the current status of the Lancelot and Lancelot Club.

"Because I'm extremely interested in everything you create. I needed to see if this could be made real." Schniezel answered.

"And the Hadron Cannon?"

"We wanted to know if the thing worked. I've been looking forward to seeing you two." Schniezel said as he welcomed Cecile and Sai.

"Prince Schniezel, for real!" Cecile shouted out.

"You insolent…How dare you look down upon the second prince of the empire!" Bartley yelled.

"G-General Bartley!" Cecile screamed as she stumbled and fell down from the Lancelot's cockpit. Sai however slid down on the floor and managed to catch her before she hit the floor.

"Nice one." Lloyd said.

"Are you okay Miss Cecile?" Sai asked her.

"Yes, I'm fine. Thank you." Cecile said.

"You are correct, I am Prince Schneizel el Britannia. Please, give me your hand." Schniezel said as he walked over and helped Cecile up.

"Eh…She's unworthy!" Bartley cried out in disgust.

"General, you're quite a devoted subject aren't you?"

"Primarily because he's the one who saved me from being chained deep under Temple Tower."

"I would wish if you stop thinking of me so formally. You've been a great help to me in this current matter, as you were to my brother Clovis. It is I who am grateful to you."

"M-My lord!"

"Please Bartley...Now, lady Cecile, if you would excuse me." Schniezel said as he kissed Cecile's hand.

"Yes, your Highness!"

"Oh yes, I've been asked to give these to you. You're called Sai right now, correct?" Schniezel said as he handed Sai two scabbards.

"What are these for?"

"These are gifts from Lady Nonnette. They were just finished and she said you should have them as quickly as possible."

"Oh…uh…Thank you my Lord. I will use these correctly and make you proud!" Sai said as he saluted. Schniezel simply smiled and proceeded to head out.

"You can wait for me inside the Avalon Cecile and Sai."

"Huh…Where are you going?" Cecile asked.

"Just a little errand."

Lloyd, Schniezel, and Bartley then began to walk out.

"I think I'm going to rest inside one of the Avalon rooms Miss Cecile. Please excuse me." Sai said.

"Yes, take care."

(Suzaku's POV)

Suzaku jumped into a pond and started to catch fish to eat for supper.

"Oh wow…you're not bad at that."

"Do you want to try it too? I'll tell you what, I'll let you loose if you promise me to find food. Is that a deal?"

"Hmph…you're not going to win me over so why try! What do you take me for!"

"Man, you're stubborn! You're not anything like you were at school."

(Later that night inside the Black Knights Submarine)

All the main members of the Black Knights were eating their lunch when a soldier talked over the intercom.

"Enemy battleship has passed us."

"You got to be kidding…A battleship that can hover in midair?" Tamaki said out loud.

"We can't remain in this area any longer. The risk is too great. We should pull out of here." Tohdoh suggested.

"Yeah, you're probably right." Ohgi said agreeing.

"Ohgi, I disagree. We should stay put and look for Zero." Diethard said.

"He has a point." Ohgi said agreeing with Diethard now.

"But we can't send out a search party in this situation. Even though we're able to hide thanks to Rakshata there's no guarantee Zero and Kallen are still alive. One wrong step and we threaten our organization's existence." Tohdoh warned.

"What do you mean? It's entirely the other way around. This entire organization is built around Zero." Diethard said.

"It's not a group without members. The way you speak you sound like a typical Britannian to me."

"All right then, answer me this. We have followers of almost every ideology under the sun gathered here. Yet, how are we able to get together and cooperate as an organization towards the same goal? Because of the results we get? Tell me, who gets us those results?"

Tohdoh then slammed his fist on the table.

"I'll be the first to admit that he does, but is he worth the lives of everyone?"

"There are times the life of a single man is worth more than a million people. I thought that would be common sense to a soldier."

"You dare say that here!"

"Easy guys…" Ohgi said.

"Oh, all right, I'll tell you. He's alive." C.C. said as she walked into the cafeteria.

"We don't have time for you wishful thinking!" Tohdoh shouted.

"The information is accurate. I simply know it."

"Oh, you're an oracle now? I told you to shut up and get some knightmare training you dumb-ass!" Tamaki shouted out.

"Dumbass, oh really? It's been ages since anyone dared to refer to me in such a rude manner."

"Like Zero's mistress has any right to act all high and mighty with all of us!"

"I said you were wrong, you're a man who only has vulgar ideas!"

"You got a lot a nerve talking to your superior like that!"

"Look, this whole conversation has gotten out of hand! Okay, how about this? We hang in at a safe zone, a sea sector just out of detection range where we can wait until the end of tomorrow. How does that sound for a time limit?" Ohgi suggested.

"Alright." Tohdoh said.

"I suppose we have no choice." Diethard said.

C.C. then walked out of the cafeteria while talking out loud to herself.

"For heaven's sake! I was force to talk to those boring people thanks to your silly prank! So tell me again why you sent those four to Kamine Island…don't you know who owns that island? Yes, while the world believes that Prince Clovis was the owner of Kamine Island…It's really the home of the Immortal known as E.E. …If she ever found out that you're using the island as a place to observe Lelouch and the others you're in for a world of hurt…Speaking of E.E. I should probably return that one person back to her…Now that it's come to this point."

C.C. then headed off for the hanger to execute her own plan.

(Suzaku's POV)

Later on that night after Suzaku and Kallen ate supper…

"Oh, I can't eat another bite! Boy am I stuffed!" Kallen said as she finished eating.

"So is this a glimpse of what you're really like?" Suzaku said.

"Yeah, you want to make something of it?"

"No, I think it's charming to see you so much more livelier than you are at school."

Suzaku then put his fish down.

"Kallen, leave the Black Knights. It's not too late. A captured terrorist never winds up with a happy ending."

"I thought you weren't so bad and then you show me your true colors. Well that won't work. I happen to be the Captain of Zero's elite guards. In fact, I fought you in my knightmare."

"Were you that red one?"

"Yeah, and even if I lose my life doing it, I'll beat that knightmare of yours some day."

"Using Zero's methods…offers no future."

"And what about your future then? To just live the life of a conqueror's laugh dog…An honorary Britannian…Or to be the knight of the third princess? Hah…The name of Genbu Kururugi, the last samurai weeps! I'm not like you! The world is wrong and I'm trying to change it! And I'm going to do whatever it takes to win!"

"So, what about Rai?"

"What about him?"

"Is he a member of the Black Knights as well? You two always seem to be together when I see you guys at school. And recently I've been getting the feeling he's trying to hide something from me when I try to talk to him."

Kallen seemed shocked when Suzaku already figured out about Rai too.

"I guess there's no point in keeping that a secret anymore either. Yes, that's right, Rai is a member of the Black Knights as well."

"That's what I feared the moment I found you on this island. Why did you do that to him? How could you make him become a terrorist?"

"Well you might not know this but Rai is a Japanese. That speaks for itself doesn't it?"

"No, it doesn't. That doesn't justify anything! You took someone who doesn't know any better or anything about the current situation and you're just twisted him into a criminal like Zero!"

"You don't know anything about Rai! He understands what's wrong with Area 11 and he wants to help me free this land. And he's not a criminal, he's an ally of the weak, a true knight for justice! You could never truly understand him!"

"I see now that I should have done something sooner. I never imagined the two of you would turn out like this."

"Oh right, because if you were in charge of helping him you probably would have made him join the Britannian Military with you!"

"It's better than having him breaking the rules and causing a disturbance of the peace!"

"Peace…What kind of peace are you talking about! As far as I know there is no peace in Japan right now!"

"I can't believe the things I'm hearing from you! I never thought you were like this! Tell me, do you even care about Rai?"

"Wha-What the hell are you talking about now?"

"Or are you just using him and his abilities just to please Zero and the Black Knights? I can't believe you would do such a thing to him!"

"You got it all wrong!"

"Oh, so are you in love with him or something then?"

"I…uh…" Kallen didn't seem to know what to say.

"You could never understand how I feel about him! I'm done talking to you about this!"

And with that Kallen lied down and went to sleep.

(Back to Rai's POV)

I sat cross armed in the hanger inside my Proto-Gekka's cockpit while looking at the Guren which stood next to my knightmare. Kallen's face appeared in my mind. Kallen, who had guided the amnesiac me. Kallen, who had recommended me to the Black Knights.

"Are you worried?"

I was suddenly called out to. I looked down to see C.C. sitting on the tall maintenance ladder that led up to my Knightmare.

"I know where Zero and Kallen are."

"I haven't heard about any such information yet…"

"I just know."

"Are the two of them alive?"

"Yes, they're on Kamine Island."

"Kamine Island…That isn't far from Shikine Island."

"It seems you believe my words. In that case, will you go rescue them for me?"

"I would go…but how can I get there?

"Take a Portman. That woman called Rakshata seems to have made us capture one in order to use it as a reference in her research."

The amphibious-designed Britannian Knightmare Frame. With that, it may even be possible to pass through their patrol network.

"I'm going." I said as I got up and headed for the Portman.

"I knew you would. But before you go you should take one of these weapons with you."

C.C. then presented me with a pistol and a hand grenade. Since I wasn't that proficient with the handgun I took the grenade and stored it in the pocket of my jacket. I then got in the Portman and C.C. opened the hatch so I could dive underwater.

"Good luck, I'm sure you'll find your visit on Kamine Island to be quite intriguing." C.C. ominously said.

"Huh…what does that suppose to mean?"

"Nothing, just go already."

I then launched myself into the water with the Portman.

By the time I arrived at Kamine Island it was already morning. I got out of the Portman and was ready to start the search when I heard a voice call out to me.

_"Finally, you came back."_

I looked around to see who was talking but I didn't see anyone. Well that was strange, did I just imagine it or something? In any case I'll need to be more careful from here on. I started searching for Zero and Kallen in the forest. After looking around for a while I found Suzaku and Kallen walking together towards an open area. I then saw Euphemia come out while calling Suzaku's name.

"Suzaku…!"

"Don't move! This girl is my prisoner!" Zero said as he jumped out, grabbed Euphemia's arm and had a gun pointed at her head.

I decided to stay in hiding to see what happens.

"I'll take back my subordinate you have there! We'll exchange prisoners!"

"Zero, once again you…!" Suzaku said as he started to step forward.

"Keep back! Hmph…You find my actions cowardly? Eliminate terrorists no matter what the sacrifice. Do you intend to follow the rules and let your mistress die, in spite of the fact that your integrity has already been broken?"

Kallen then came from behind and attacked Suzaku while trying to tie him up.

"Leave him alone!" Euphemia ordered.

"Shut up, you royal puppet, you're useless! You can't think for yourself or do anything!"

"What...! I'm not afraid of you and I don't care what happens to me! Suzaku I command you to fight!"

"With pleasure!" Suzaku said as he broke free and ran towards Zero and Euphemia.

"You hardheaded fool!"

Zero ran away from Suzaku and stood on the center of the rectangle they were all standing on which caused a bird-like sigil to appear on the rectangle. My Geass also started to activate by itself in my right eye.

"Huh…what's going on?" I said silently to myself.

The platform they were standing on then started to collapse as it fell into the cave below and landed on the pedestal-like ruins. After that my Geass deactivated. Well that was strange. I then walked over to the hole so I could see what was going to happen. I made sure to keep my presence a secret though.

"Major Kururugi…and is that…Zero?" Lloyd called out.

The Britannian soldier then got ready to fire but was stopped by Bartley.

"Don't shoot you fools! Princess Euphemia is with them! Capture them, capture them!"

"Look Zero, there's a knightmare over there!" Kallen shouted out.

"Perfect, we'll use that! Let's go!"

Zero then ran over to the black knightmare.

"This is good! Not only unmanned, but activated too!" Zero said as he got the knightmare ready to go.

"Gawain…? What kind of knightmare is this? It must be my lucky day…wait…what's Schniezel doing here!" Zero said as he looked down and saw Schniezel.

Kallen was about to follow him but noticed soldiers coming her way so she stayed behind and fought them off. I decided to jump down there and help her. I came down on the platform and kicked two soldiers down as I made my landing. Kallen and Zero were surprised to see me.

"Huh…Rai's here too?" Zero said from the cockpit.

"What are you doing here Rai?" Kallen asked.

"I'm here to help you guys!" I answered.

"Rai, hurry up and come over here!" Kallen said as she got onto the shoulder of the Gawain.

I ran over there as well and grabbed Kallen's hand as she helped me up. I went and stood on the Gawain's other shoulder.

"Did you come here to look for us?" Zero asked.

"Yes."

"How did you know we were here?" Zero continued asking.

"C.C. told me."

"I see…"

The Gawain then started to leave the cave.

"Sutherlands are blocking the exit." Kallen pointed out.

"Hang on tight! I'm going right through them!" Zero said as he started to activate the machine's beam attack.

"Disappear!"

Zero then shot the attack but the beam was so inaccurate and scattered that the beams only hit the rocks and ruins.

"The weapons are incomplete!" Zero yelled.

As we were about to exit the cave though one of the falling debris hit me and caused me to fall off the knightmare and I hit the ground on my back.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"Oh no, Rai…! Zero, Rai fell off!" Kallen cried out.

"Damn it…! We can't turn back now!" Zero yelled.

"But…"

"We have no choice but to come back for him later! I'm already getting into contact with Ohgi."

Zero said as the Gawain flew away from the island and towards the sea.

_"Rai, please forgive me. I don't want to leave you behind, but I promise to come back for you as soon as I can." _Zero thought to himself as he looked back towards the island.

(Back to Rai's POV)

As I got up I saw the black knightmare started to fly as it headed off the island. I never saw a knightmare that could fly before. Well, at least Zero and Kallen should be safe. Now, I wonder how I can get off this island now. That Portman only had enough energy for one trip so I can't use that.

_"There is a Black Knights member in the vicinity. All soldiers are to head out and capture him!"_ A voice reverberated through a nearby battleships' intercom.

When I heard that I immediately got up and ran into the woods.

(Outside Rai's POV)

_"There is a Black Knights member in the vicinity. All soldiers are to head out and capture him!"_

Sai then looked outside the window of the Avalon and saw a Black Knight soldier running into the woods.

"Well, I guess I better go after him."

Sai then put his scabbards on his holster and chased after the soldier into the forest.

(Back to Rai's POV)

As I was running through the forest I looked back to see one Britannian soldier chasing me. It was a person about the same age as me and had blondish-brown hair.

"Hey you, stop running and surrender! You're under arrest!" The young soldier yelled.

Knowing that I wasn't going shake him off I turned around. At this point it seems I have no choice but to use Geass.

"I command you to leave me alone!" I yelled as I activated the power in my right eye. As the red orb surrounded us I couldn't help but notice the pendant on the soldier's neck glow for a second, but I just assumed it was only sunlight reflecting off of it. The soldier then stopped moving for a second. Did it work? The soldier then walked over to me and punched me in the face which knocked me down.

"Who do you think you are, ordering me around?" The soldier shouted.

What…It didn't work…But why? I couldn't spend time to think about it though and got up and ran away.

"What…running away again?" The soldier said as he continued to chase after me.

I continued running across the forest until I tripped on a tree root and fell near a cliff. As I fell I didn't notice the grenade falling out of my pocket with the timer counting down.

"That's enough of this pointless running around! Surrender now and I promise that your punishment won't be so severe." He said as he pulled two swords out and formed a dual-wielding lance. He then pointed it at my chest.

"Wait a minute that looks like…" I said as I suddenly thought of the weapon that the Lancelot Club uses.

The grenade then went off causing a small explosion nearby. The impact of the blast caused me to fly over the cliff and into the ocean below. When I hit the water I lost consciousness.

(Outside Rai's POV)

After the grenade went off Sai went flying back into a tree. He then heard a splash hit the ocean below. After the smoke cleared he noticed the Black Knight soldier was gone.

"He must have fallen into the water."

_"Did you get the target yet?"_ A voice on his headset said.

"I'm sorry; he got away."

"Then forget about him and come back to the Avalon so we can leave."

"Yes, my lord." Sai then headed back to the Avalon.

When he got back he saw Schniezel, Bartley, Lloyd, Suzaku, and Euphemia coming out of a cave. Sai was happy to see that Suzaku and Euphemia were alright.

"The Gawain…our prized Gawain…!" Bartley cried out.

"It was only a test model." Schniezel said as if he didn't really care if the machine was stolen or not.

"Aside from that I'm thankful you're both alright."

"Oh Schniezel, I missed you." Euphemia said as she ran towards Schniezel.

"Dear Euphie, I'm sorry it took us so long."

"No, it's alright."

"Your Highness, should we keep towards the schedule?" An officer asked out.

"Oh, right."

A group of soldiers then walked over to Suzaku.

"Major Suzaku Kururugi, you're under arrest for violation of military regulation!"

"What's the meaning of this?" Euphemia yelled out.

"Yeah, that's right. What did he do?" Sai said stepping in.

"Major Suzaku is my personal knight! You can't…" Schniezel then stopped Euphemia.

"This is something I can take of later. For now we need to leave this island."

(Back to Rai's POV)

When I woke up I found myself lying face-down on the beach. I wonder how much time has gone by since I passed out. I tested the strength of my arms and legs. I could feel the pain of bruises spread all over my body but I could still move. I got up and looked around my surroundings. The Britannian military seemed to have left this island, or at the very least, this part of the island. I wonder what I should do now. I could try to call Zero but I don't even know how far away he is right now or if I would be able to get into contact with him. I then suddenly looked forward and saw the entrance to the cave that led to a room the Britannians were so interested in. I wonder what's in there that the Britannians were so attracted to. I decided to go check it out for myself.

I walked across the rubble caused by Zero earlier and then went deeper into the cave. As I got deeper into the cave I couldn't help but feel the presence of another person, as if someone was watching me from somewhere. I kept turning my head around only to find that nothing else was in here besides me. I then found myself back in the large room of the cave with all the hieroglyphs. A structure was now on top of the giant pedestal in the center of the cavern. There was a gaping rectangular opening in the ceiling right above it.

You could see the blue sky from down here. Rather than collapsing from the ceiling, it felt like the board of stone was now atop the pedestal had descended onto it instead. It now looked like an elevator somewhat. Did this cave used to be some kind of temple in the past I wondered? The group of stone pillars went all the way from the entrance to this giant pedestal. This space wasn't a place to live, and I could somehow imagine the place being used for some kind of ritual. As I continued to look around the ancient ruins a mysterious design and indecipherable letters were carved into the surface of the walls surrounding the pedestal. I wonder what past era it belongs to? I then suddenly heard a voice call out to me.

_"Go ahead…touch it."_

"W-Who's there!?" I was spooked when I heard someone's voice and turned around to see no one there. But I still heard the voice talking to me.

_"Touch the Thought Elevator and the truth will be revealed to you."_

I didn't know what was going to happen but I placed my hand on the stone monument near the pedestal. The next thing I knew my Geass in my right eye activated by itself and I felt an intense pain like no other in my head and I screamed out in pain. I felt like my mind was blown away. It was as if someone was trying to use a bomb to blow up a safe box just to see what was in it. And from this box came the memories of someone as they came flooding into my mind. Wait a minute…these are…my memories.

(Outside Rai's POV)

Rakshata was in the hanger checking on her Gefjun Disturber system when one of her research crew members approached her.

"Miss Crowla, the test results from Kyoto has just come in." The man said as he handed her some papers.

"I see, so Kirihara is done with their testing as well." Rakshata then looked at the papers.

"Well there's no mistaking it now. Their results are the same as mine. This boy really is from that family after all."

"Should I notify Zero about this madam?"

"Hmm…we'll wait and tell Zero after we finish modifying and get test results from this new machine he brought me." Rakshata said as she looked up at the black knightmare.

(Back to Rai's POV)

When I finally regained my consciousness I found myself standing in the center of the room while looking up at the broken ceiling of the cave with a dazed look on my face. My Geass was still activated and burned brightly with tears rolling down my right eye but the Geass dissipated once I was aware of my surroundings. I then silently wiped away the tears. I seemed to have been standing there for a very long time. The light coming from the opening was already a deep crimson red. I looked down at the ground and just stood there thinking about everything that happened to my life up to now. My past, my time at Ashford Academy, and my time with the Black Knights. I then looked down at my hands.

"Everything is clear to me now…I remember everything…I…I am…"

My body then started to shake as a malicious grin formed on my face as I looked back up at the open ceiling. I then closed my eyes and started to laugh madly.

"Heh…hehehe…hahahaha….!"

(At that same time…Outside Rai's POV)

C.C. was sitting in Zero's office eating pizza. As she picked up another slice she was about to put it in her mouth when a jolt of electricity went through her head. C.C. then put the slice of pizza down and began to smile mischievously while talking to herself.

"I see…so you broke the seal I placed on that boy and gave his memories back to him. Things are going to get very interesting from now on, E.E." C.C. said as she placed two fingers on her chin.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	18. Chapter 18

**There are a few things that need to be noted about this chapter. This chapter is to be thought of as a third person narration from E.E., Rai's Immortal. There's also a warning that needs to be noticed when reading this chapter. There will be several things that will be left unexplained from Rai's past and won't make since until later chapters.**

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Chapter 18: When Angels Become Demons

**3:12 P.M. May 16, 2008 a.t.b.**

It was a bright and sunny day with good weather. Out in the luxurious, wide-open green fields an eight year old Rai was chasing after his younger sister, who was five years old and had pink hair. Her name was Sakura. Both of them was running around aimlessly around the field, laughing and having a good time. After chasing his sister for a while the young Rai stopped for a moment to catch his breath. As he was catching his breath he turned to face a woman who was sitting on a blanket close by watching him and his sister. This woman happened to be his mother, who had long black hair. Rai's mother sat there and waved at him with a smile on her face. Seeing his mother smile caused him to form one himself as he waved back at her.

Rai also took notice of the woman sitting next to his mother. She had long hair like his mother except her hair color was a dark blue. This woman's name was E.E. and it seemed that no matter where his mother was this woman was always at her side. Even though Rai's family had no blood relation to her, E.E. was treated as a family member and also lived with them. The young boy took notice that; compared to his mother, who was in her early thirties; this woman seemed to appear much younger. E.E. looked like she was only in her late teens or early twenties. Rai asked his mother about it once but she simply told him that E.E. just likes to make herself look young. While the young boy didn't really know if he should believe his mother's statement or not at first he eventually ended up accepting her claim.

E.E. noticed that Rai was looking at her so she simply gave a short wave of her hand while giving him a soft smile. The young boy responded with a quick wave and continued to run after his sister. After a while the sibling's mother called out to them and asked them to sit down so they can eat. Rai and Sakura then ran over to where their mother was and sat down on the blanket with her and E.E. Their mother then placed a basket in the middle of the four them. She then picked out sandwiches from the basket and handed them to everyone. They all then sat there and ate until they had their fill. After they were all done eating their mother then pulled out some construction paper from the basket and starting making origami with it. She made all different kinds of shapes with the origami and everyone watched intently. She then handed Rai a piece of paper and asked him to make one. Rai then fiddled around with it until he made a pink flower which caused Sakura to called out to him with awe in her eyes.

"Oooh…what kind of flower is that oni-chan?"

"Oh this? It's called a cherry blossom." Rai said as he handed the flower origami over to Sakura and placed it in her hands.

"You mean it's named after me?" Sakura said as she continued to look at the origami.

"Yes, it is."

"It looks so pretty!" Sakura said in joy as she held the origami to her heart.

Afterwards Rai and Sakura went back out into the field. They continued to play until the sun started to go down and caused an orange tint in the sky. Rai's mother and E.E. then started to get their things together and once they placed the blanket in the basket they called at the two young children.

"Rai, Sakura, it's time to go!" Their mother hollered out to them.

When they heard their mother both of them immediately ran over to her side and grabbed onto one of her hands, with Sakura grabbing her right while Rai grabbed her left. The four of them then proceeded to head back home.

**9:52 A.M. March 3, 2012 a.t.b.**

Inside his mother's dojo, now twelve years old, Rai was perfecting his martial arts skills while holding a mock battle against a girl with blond hair. Rai came forward ready to strike her but she simply grabbed his wrist to stop him, and then right after that, quickly hit him in the chest with the palm of her hand. After being struck by the attack he was stunned and couldn't move which gave the girl a chance to strike again. She then came forward and flipped him down on the cushioned floor on his backside. The boy was shocked to see that he was defeated.

"Wow…you beat me again. So what is the record now…Leila Malkal?"

"Twenty-five to twenty-three, it's in my favor." The girl who was called Leila Malkal replied. Leila was at the same age as Rai and had long blond hair. Not only does she come to the dojo to receive martial arts lessons from Rai's mother she was also Rai's friend ever since they were six. They knew each other because Rai's father and her father were good friends. Even though Rai's father was from Britannia and Leila's was from the E.U. they were on good terms with each other. Occasionally Leila and her father would come to Britannia to visit Rai and his family.

Rai's mother and E.E., who were sitting outside of the fighting arena, were watching them practice against each other. Once she saw what time it was on the clock, Rai's mother then got up and called out to the two kids.

"Okay, that's enough for now. It's time to get back to the books Leila, Rai."

Leila then helped Rai get back on his feet and then the four of them left the dojo. They then headed off for the living room where Rai's mother sat on a wooden chair while Leila and Rai sat down on the floor near a coffee table that had their textbooks. They both then opened their textbooks to begin their lesson on Algebraic equations. Once Rai's mother finished explaining the lesson to the two she stood up.

"I'll leave you two to do your problems while I go attend to something in the kitchen."

"Okay mother." Rai said to his mother.

"I'll do my best on this problems Sensei." Leila said to Rai's mother.

Rai's mother then headed for the kitchen while they worked on some math problems by themselves.

Until recently, Rai and Sakura attended a normal Britannian school. But ever since the Second Pacific War, when Britannia invaded Japan and took control of the land as a Britannian territory and renamed it Area 11, problems started to occur. Since the sibling's mother was Japanese she was given the alien term "Eleven". And since Rai and Sakura were Britannian and Japanese it resulted in them being called "Half-Breeds" and caused them to be made fun of and picked on at school. Their parents took notice of this and decided to withdraw them from school and let their mother home-school them. It was later discovered that their mother, given her wide range of knowledge in all areas of studies, turned out to very skilled as a teacher and another important quality of the mother's teaching skills is that even after finishing the required lessons she would spend some extra time on keeping her kids one or two years ahead of the normal school curriculum to make sure they were well ahead of all their other peers their age. To Rai's mother, education was an important quality that all children should have.

Even Leila, who went to a traditional school back in the E.U., was attracted by the teaching skills of Rai's mother, and would want to come over and receive some extra teaching lessons while she and her father visited Britannia. Even though Leila was a Britannian and the daughter of a former aristocrat family who was later adopted into the Malkal family, she never discriminated against the Elevens. In fact, she refuses to call them Elevens and refer to them as Japanese, their old name. She even calls Rai's mother Sensei, just because she helps Leila with her martial arts training as well as giving her some extra education lessons. Leila especially holds high regard and respect towards Rai's mother, who was said to have been one of Japan's best and brightest. It was said that not only was Rai's mother intelligent, but she could also fight pretty well. But in the end, no matter how great she seemed, most of the Britannian didn't think much of her and only looked at her in disgust just because she happens to be an Eleven.

By the time Leila and Rai finished their assignment Rai's mother came in and told them that she finished making dinner and that Leila was also invited to eat here as well, which she accepted of course. Leila and Rai then got up from the floor and followed Rai's mother into the dining room. There they saw five bowls of ramen that Rai's mother cooked herself. Sakura and E.E. were already seated at the table and enjoying their food. Leila, Rai, and his mother then sat down as well, picked up their chopsticks, and started to eat as well.

After they finished eating Leila and Rai headed back to the dojo to continue their training. Towards the end of the day Leila's father came to pick her up.

"Leila, our free time here in Britannia has ended. We need to head back to the E.U." Leila's father said.

"Oh, okay father. Goodbye everyone, I enjoyed my time here." Leila said as she grabbed her father's hand and waved to Rai, his mother and sister.

"Goodbye Leila, and next time I won't lose to you." Rai said to Leila.

"Yeah, we'll see about that Rai." Leila gladly said.

"Goodbye Leila!" Sakura yelled out.

"Thank you for watching after my daughter." Leila's father said to Rai's mother.

"It was no problem. I hope you two will a safe trip on your way back home." Rai's mother said with a smile.

Rai then watched as Leila and her father got in a taxi and drove off to an airport.

**1:27 P.M. September 18, 2014 a.t.b.**

"Okay, that's another one down."

Rai said as an enemy Glasgow fell down and exploded. He then continued down the road to face the next group of knightmares. The enemy's Glasgow began shooting blast attacks from its giant cannon from a distance. Rai used his own Glasgow however to dodge the incoming attacks and when he got into firing range, shot the Glasgow down with his assault rifle.

Right after that another Glasgow came charging in while shooting its assault rifle. Rai used his Glasgow to move out of the rifle's bullets and then when he saw an opening, shot a slash harken and knocked the assault rifle out of the enemy's hand. He then came up close, activated a stun tonfa on his knightmare's right arm, and then destroyed the frame with it.

Rai then looked down at the IFF screen and saw that another unit was trying to attack him from behind. He then dropped his assault rifle and activated the stun tonfa on his knightmare's left arm and at the last second, quickly turned around and blocked the stun tonfa on the enemy Glasgow that tried to attack him from behind. The two knightmares then struggled against each other as their stun tonfas were locked onto each other but Rai eventually broke through causing the enemy Glasgow to stumble backwards. Rai then used this opening to attack the base of the frame with the stun tonfa on his right arm and caused enough damage to destroy the final opponent. After that a "Simulation Cleared" sign appeared on Rai's screen.

When the simulation was finished Rai got out of the simulator and he was greeted by his father.

"Another perfect score on the knightmare simulator I see. That's my son for you."

Jonathan Thurston, a Britannian, father of Rai and Sakura, a member of the Britannian Aristocrat, the knight of eight of the knights of the round, nicknamed the Blue Blur of Britannia. As a member of the knights of the round he pilots his own blue customized Glasgow that has been tuned to match his specific fighting style. He even lets his son Rai practice knightmare training with his Glasgow.

"I only wish to become as strong as I possibly can so that I will be able to protect Sakura and mother."

"Your mother and sister huh…"

Rai's father then walked over and placed his hand on Rai's shoulder.

"You know son…Your mother was always something else. I always had an attraction to women who were smart and could fight for themselves. Even though she had a quiet and peaceful nature, she was as clever as an owl, and as tough as a rhino. Even someone like me, who is a Knight of the Round, is inferior compared to her. Besides my nobility and my skill in piloting knightmares, there's nothing special about me. I'm surprise your mother even took interest in someone like myself. Even though I never could beat her in a fight, the one thing I did win from her was her heart, and I'm very thankful for that. She gave up everything just to live a quiet and peaceful life with me here in Britannia."

"Hmm…Is that so…" Rai muttered to himself as he got back in his casual Britannian clothing.

"So, how is it holding on the other end with you and Leila?" Rai's father said with a grin on his face.

"Huh…what are you getting at?" Rai questioned.

"You know what I'm talking about. Not only is she cute, but like your mother, she's smart and is pretty much your equal when it when it comes to a one-on-one fist fight. She also has some skill in piloting knightmares. You two are the perfect match for each other and…"

Before he could continue he was stopped by Rai.

"Enough! There is nothing special going on between us. We are just friends, nothing more." Rai promptly said."

"Oh, is that so…" Rai's father said disappointed before continuing on.

"And here I could easily arrange for the two of you to be engaged as well...Never mind…No matter who you end up with in your future, whether it's a bossy blond, a fiery redhead, or even a pink-haired princess, there will always be somebody out there waiting for you. I know you'll find the right girl for you someday. That's what I believe anyways. But I kept you here long enough with my mindless babbling, it's time for you to go home son."

"Okay father." Rai said as he got his things together and left the hanger.

When Rai got home he went inside the dojo to see his mother meditating. As he walked up to her his mother suddenly called out to him.

"What brings you here Rai?"

"Um…Are you busy right now mother?"

"Not at all…Is there something you need from me?"

"I was wondering if you would teach me on how to use a sword."

"A sword? Are you asking because you feel like you're falling behind Leila in martial arts?"

"No, it's not because of that!" Rai said flustered.

"It's just that I want to become as strong as I possibly can so I can protect you and Sakura…that's all."

"I see…Rai, you do know that I have long given up those kinds of activities but…"

"But…?"

"I'll be more than glad to teach you."

Rai was happy to hear his mother say that.

"There is one condition you must follow before I teach you. It's the same as when I taught you martial arts…Do you remember?" His mother asked him.

"Yes, I remember…"

"_I will teach you how to fight only if you swear to use that power to protect the things and people you care about. You should never power for your own selfish ends."_ Both Rai and his mother said at the same time.

"Good…You do remember. In that case I'll train you. Just give me a moment to get ready." Rai's mother said as she headed for the back of the dojo.

When she came back she was carrying two wooden swords in her hands. She then gave one of them to Rai and then took her long hair and made it a ponytail so it wouldn't get in her face as she taught Rai on how to wield a sword.

"Now, are you ready?" She asked her son.

"Yes, I'm ready." Rai said as he readied his sword.

The two of them then spent most of the afternoon practicing on Rai's swordplay. While at first Rai was having difficulty using his weapon, after his mother showed him some of her own pointers, he gradually got better and gained experience at wielding the weapon. Eventually his mother decided it was time to quit for the day.

"Okay, that's enough for today. We'll continue the lessons tomorrow." Rai's mother announced.

"Huh…but I can keep going." Rai insisted.

His mother however quickly walked over to where Rai was standing and knocked the sword out of Rai's hand with her own and the weapon went spinning into the air.

"I said we were finished for the day. Resting is also a part of any type of training." His mother sharply said.

"Yeah, I know…But still…"

Rai then walked over to his mother and hugged her.

"Oh my, what's this for?" She asked him.

"I just wanted you to know that I love you." Rai replied.

"Oh, I see…Well, I love you too." His mother said as she placed her arm around him and hugged him back.

After holding on to each other for a few minute they both finally let go of each other.

"Hey mother, can you show me your legendary sword…the one you used when you lived in Area 11?" Rai eagerly asked about her sword.

"My legendary sword…Who told you about that?" His mother asked confused.

"Father did of course. He always tells me stories about you and your legendary sword whenever I go take my knightmare operating lessons from him."

"I see…I'm sorry to tell you this, but I no longer have that sword anymore Rai." His mother sorrowfully said.

"Huh…you don't…what happened to it?"

"You see, whenever I married your father, I gave that weapon to my sister who was still living in Area 11. It's in the hands of my sister's family now."

"Oh, I see…" Rai said disappointed.

His mother then rubbed her hand across Rai's hair.

"Rai, I'm sorry to ask this but, can you do something for me?" Rai's mother asked him.

"Sure, what do you need me to do?" Rai questioned.

"Can you go get E.E. for me? I need to speak to her about something."

"Sure thing mother."

"She should be in the chapel right now. Once you find her, tell her to come to my room so I can talk with her."

After saying that she left the dojo and headed for her room. Meanwhile Rai headed out to the chapel near the edge of town in search of E.E. As he was about to open the door however E.E. suddenly came out from within the chapel.

"Oh, it's you Rai. Did you need something from me?" E.E. calmly said.

"My mother wanted to speak to you. She's waiting for you in her room." Rai replied.

"I see…I'll go see her then."

E.E. was then about to walk away until Rai suddenly stopped her.

"If you don't mind me asking, what exactly were you doing in there?"

Even though Rai knew that whenever E.E. wasn't with her mother, she was usually in the chapel doing something, he never really knew what exactly she was doing in there.

"You want to know what I was doing in there? I was simply talking to an old friend of mine…that's all." E.E. simply replied.

E.E. then headed back for the house. As soon as she left Rai took a quick look inside the chapel only to find that nobody was in there. All that was in there were the pews and the altar, nobody else.

"That's strange…E.E. said she was talking with someone in there but…"

Rai then decided to leave that thought behind him and headed back to the dojo to work on his swordsmanship by himself. Little did the boy know that, no matter how much knowledge and power he obtained, as well as the determination to protect the people he loved, was all pointless in the end.

**6:43 P.M. December 2, 2015 a.t.b.**

Outside on the borderline to a nearby town three Britannians in their mid-teens looked down to the town below them from on top of a hill. Behind them were five Sutherlands, all equipped with assault rifles and giant cannons.

"Okay, time to begin the operation." The boy in the middle said as he signaled the Sutherlands to head down into town.

Sometime after that Rai, who was in his room at the time, was busy finishing up his homework assignment on his computer. Once he was finished with his homework he turned off his computer and was about to lie down on his bed when he heard an explosion outside. Shaken up from the noise, he immediately got up and looked outside his window to see what was going on. From his window he saw that explosions were going off every in town. Buildings started to crumble and a huge fire started to spread throughout the whole town.

"W-What's going on here? Is it a…terrorist attack?" Rai said out loud to himself as he picked up a traditional Japanese sword that his mother gave him when he completed his sword training, carried it on his back, and rushed out of the room. As he was running down the hall an explosion went off near his house which caused Rai to fall down. When he got back up he saw that everything has fallen down, there were holes everywhere on the walls and ceilings, and smoke coming from a fire on the bottom floor started to creep its way throughout the building. Rai then looked up and saw that the explosions were caused by a Sutherland. The knightmare didn't notice Rai and it continued to move on and destroy other buildings nearby.

"That was…a knightmare…" Rai thought to himself as he got back up and started to head down the stairs.

Once he got to the bottom he ran into his mother, who seemed to have been franticly looking for him.

"Rai, there you are. We need to evacuate from this city!"

"But what about Sakura, where is she?" Rai said worrying about his sister.

"I already asked E.E. to take care of her. She already took Sakura and headed out with a group of other civilians. Now let's go!"

Rai and his mother then started to take off and were crossing the living room to head out the front door. But as they were running Rai tripped on a broken piece of the floorboard and fell on the ground. His mother then turned around and saw Rai on the floor. She then looked up and noticed that the whole house was about to fall apart. Noticing the danger, she immediately ran over to Rai, picked him up, whispered something into his ears, and then threw him out the door as the house caved in and all the fallen debris fell and crushed her instead.

As Rai was getting up he turned to see his entire house fall down right in front on him. The place he spent his life in was now gone. He then suddenly remembered that his mother was still in there.

"Mother…!" Rai cried out as he ran over to the now destroyed house.

As he looked around the insides of his house Rai saw that everything inside was either broken or was crushed by the fallen pieces of the ceiling. He then walked over to the spot where he mother was standing before and saw that it was covered with fallen debris. His mother's arm was the only thing the wasn't crushed. Rai then knelt down and picked up his mother hand only to discover that it was cold and there wasn't a pulse going through anymore which meant that…she was dead now. Upon discovering this revelation of his mother he just stood there all shaken up about what just transpired, not knowing what to do. He then unconsciously got up and just ran away, not knowing what else he could do and with no clear destination of where we was going.

As Rai began to run away from his house, before he got too far however, he ran into E.E., who was covered in her blood. Rai couldn't understand how she could still be moving like that.

"There you are Rai; I've been looking for you. Where is your mother?" E.E. asked him.

The boy hesitated to respond to her at first and just looked away from her as looked down at the ground.

"My mother…she didn't…she didn't make it. She's gone now." Rai slowly said as he tried to get the words to come out.

"I see…So that's why I couldn't sense her presence anymore." E.E. quietly said to herself.

"Where's my sister? Where's Sakura?" Rai demanded. E.E. however, looked down in disappointment.

"I'm sorry Rai…I couldn't protect her. We were evacuating with some other civilians when a knightmare showed up and attacked us. I was the only one who made it out safely."

"No, this can't be happening…"

Rai couldn't believe anything that was going on. First his mother and now his sister. The two people most important to him were now gone, all from a mysterious attack on his town. Feeling as if all his strength was gone, Rai fell down onto his knees with an angst look on his face. E.E. then walked towards him.

"Rai, let me ask you something. Do you wish to know why you town was attacked? Do you wish to learn the truth?" E.E. suddenly asked him.

"Huh…are you saying you know something?" Rai questioned her.

"I don't really know why all of this has happened but…I'm not happy about the current situation either. But I can give you the ability to find the truth for yourself. The power to avenge the deaths of the people you care about. All you have to do is make a deal with me."

"And what's the deal?"

"I'll give you a power called Geass, the power of the kings, in exchange that you will make my one wish come true."

"Your…wish…?"

"Don't worry, if won't be difficult to complete, if it's you that is. So, what do you say, do we have a deal?"

After thinking about it for a moment he finally gave E.E. his answer.

"Fine, I accept your contract."

"Oh, I forgot to mention one important thing. If you do accept this contract and obtain Geass, there is a chance that may end up isolated from the rest of the world, unable to be with people anymore. Are you prepared for that kind of consequence?" E.E. ominously said.

"I don't care about that. I already lost everything important to me in this world. Being lonely means nothing to me anymore. Just give me that power."

"Very well then…Close your eyes for moment and I will give you the power, the power that has been passed down through your mother's ancestors for over the past millennium."

Rai then closed his eyes and E.E. places her hand on his forehead. A glow then appeared from her forehead and her hair started to fly wildly which revealed a red, bird like sigil placed on her forehead. Once she was finished the glowing stopped but the sigil still remained on her forehead.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now." E.E. firmly said.

Rai then opened his eyes and while his left eye was still had the normal blue look his right eye however was purple now with the same bird like sigil that was on E.E.'s forehead.

Before the two of them could comment on anything though several gunshots went off and bullets came flying into E.E.'s back. She then had a shocked look on her face and then fell down onto the ground. Rai looked down at her to see blood gushing out from her backside and then looked forward to see who shot her. He saw that it was three Britannians about the same age as him who fired the weapons. Rai then immediately noticed that he knew these three boys as his cousins from his father's side.

When they were young Rai, his Britannian cousins, and Sakura would play with each other. But when Britannia took over Japan and renamed it Area 11 their mother, Rai's aunt, started to develop a deep hatred towards Rai and Sakura, and more specifically, their mother. This also began to reflect in his cousins as well and they stopped visiting them and were also the ones who labeled them as "Half-Breeds".

"Well well, if it isn't cousin Rai." One of them called out.

"Any last words before you die?" Another one said as he got his gun ready to fire.

"Yes, before you fire that weapon, I want you to do some things for me." Rai said as he activated the power of Geass and a red globe formed between him and his cousins. All three of them now had a red outline around their eyes.

"Sure thing."

"What do you need from us?"

"First, I want to know if you three are involved in this incident." Rai sharply said with a serious look on his face.

"Yes, we are actually the main commanders of this operation." The cousin in the middle said.

"Okay, before we go any further though, I want you to remove all the Sutherland you brought to this town. Cancel this operation of yours and make them leave at once!" Rai ordered.

Following Rai's order one of his cousin took out a communicator and told all the pilots of the Sutherlands to leave the area and that the mission was over.

"Good, now we can talk without those knightmares destroying the surrounding area. Now, my next question is, why did you bring those machines here and started to wreck this place?"

"Because we were asked to?"

"By whom…?"

"By your father."

"What…?"

"Our objective here was to eliminate your mother who was starting to become a threat to Britannia. He asked us to help and we gladly accepted. We were ordered to kill your mother and then destroy the whole town to cover up this operation, as well as kill any witnesses."

"Tell me…where is my father right now?"

"He is in the center block of town right now."

"Is that right…Well then…I have one last order to give you three…"

"Sure, what is it Rai?"

"Die!" His order resounded.

"Sure thing bro."

The three of them then drew their swords out and then proceeded to stab a vital organ of theirs. And then one by one, each of them fell down and lied dead on the floor. Once Rai was sure that his cousins were dead he deactivated his Geass and headed for the center area of town to confront his father.

When Rai arrived to the area his cousins pointed out he found his father standing in the middle of the road, looking at all the destruction he caused. He then noticed Rai walking up to him.

"Hello there Rai." He politely asked.

"What do you mean hello?" Rai sarcastically answered back.

"Where's your mother?" He asked Rai.

"She's dead, thanks to you." Rai said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"I see…and where's your sister?"

"She's also gone thanks to your crafty handiwork."

"I see…how unfortunate about Sakura. I didn't think she would get caught up in this…But at least the mission was a success. Let's go Rai, we need to get going now."

Rai however didn't move and instead drew out the katana he carried on his back and pointed it at his father.

"Hmm…what's wrong…What are you doing?" Rai's father said.

Rai then ran over and swung his weapon at his father. His father responded however by drawing his own sword and blocked Rai's katana.

"What are you doing son? Why do you draw your sword against me?" Rai's father asked him.

"Because you're the reason why mother and Sakura died! How could you…how can you just stand there knowing that mother and Sakura are dead and act like nothing's wrong!" Rai shouted out as they continued to swing their swords at each other.

"Because I was ordered to, that's why. I was given a mission and I had to complete it for my country."

"Tell me, who ordered you to do this mission?"

"Your aunt and grandparents, my sister and parents, commanded it. They told the Imperial Family that your mother was becoming a threat to Britannia and after they begged them to execute her they finally caved in and gave the order. They asked me to do it, which I accepted."

Hearing that surprised Rai and caught him off guard which allowed his father to shove him and his katana back.

"Then answer me this, did you even love mother at all?" Rai said as he came back into the battle.

"I loved you mother with all my heart. But orders were orders…I have my duties as a Britannian Knight as well. The purpose of knights is to insure the safety of their country and their people. And a knight must always follow his duties…to the very end."

"So you're saying following your country is more important than following your own heart?"

"It's not that I'm happy about doing this. I didn't want to do this, but if I didn't do it, they would have made someone else do it anyways."

"I think I understand now…I knew that you needed power to survive in Britannia but I didn't know that in order to be accepted in Britannia you had to give up your free will and become a slave who mindlessly follows the orders of their superiors. If that's the case then I don't want to be part of this country anymore!"

"Rai, think about what you're saying…"

"No, you listen! From what I see, you betrayed mother and stood back while she died just to ensure your own safety. That kind of action is unforgivable."

"So you're saying that if you were in my position, you would have stayed with your mother and try to protect her, even if you knew you were outmatched and wouldn't have a chance of succeeding?"

"I would stand by her side and protected her to the very end."

"Is that so…"

"And now…since you chose to be worthless, foolish knight you're going to die as a one!"

Rai then came in with a powerful swing of his sword and managed to knock the sword out of his father's hands. Rai then got in a stabbing position and thrusted his katana straight into his father's heart. His father's eyes widened as blood came out of his mouth. He then formed a smile on his face which confused Rai.

"Good work son. The training your mother gave you finally seems to be paying off now. I see now. I think I finally understand."

"What are you talking about now?"

"I made a big mistake here today, no, for a long time now. You were right, I couldn't protect your mother the right way. Between my role of being a Knight of Britannia, my parents and sister, and your mother, I didn't know what to do and acted based on what was going to keep me alive. And now I have been punished for the sins I have committed towards your mother, and you as well. I'll have to apologize to your mother when I see her in the next life. Rai, when you leave here today, remember everything your mother has taught you, and build your own future regardless of what others think of it. Keep fighting for what you think is right and if anyone tries to say you're wrong, whether it's Britannia, the Chinese Federation, or the E.U., you'll need to kick their asses to make them understand that your beliefs are your own."

"Don't worry, I plan to." Rai said as he pulled his katana out of his father's body. After that his father fell backwards and his cold, now lifeless body lied on the ground.

Rai then put his katana away. He then turned around and was about to leave when he saw E.E. walk up to him. Even though she was pelted with bullets earlier E.E. was walking around as if nothing happened to her. He couldn't understand how she could still be alive but then again she always was strange.

"What…why are you looking at me like that? It's like you've just seen a ghost or something?" E.E. called out.

"How…can you still be alive not to mention standing?"

"It's a secret." E.E. promptly said.

"…Never mind."

"So, what are you going to do now?" E.E. asked.

Rai however didn't give her an answer and just walked past her. She didn't really care for an answer anyway and just followed after the boy.

A few days later Rai arrived at his aunt's, Jonathan's sister, house which was over in the next town. Along with his aunt, his Britannian grandparents lived there as well. They were surprised to see him when he entered their house. Once there, Rai used his Geass on them to learn if what his father said was true. They told him they were responsible which angered Rai. He then ordered them, while they were still under his Geass control, to kill themselves. The boy then watched as they all kill themselves, whether it was with shotguns or kitchen knives, and then proceeded to leave the house as if nothing happened. And just like that, all of Rai's Britannian relatives were now dead.

**6:00 A.M. December 14, 2015 a.t.b.**

It was a cloudy morning, almost as if it was about to do something. Outside in the open field where Rai and Sakura used to play when they were young stood two gravestones. The one on the left belong to Rai's sister, Sakura. The one of the right belonged to Rai's mother. Standing in front of the gravesite was Rai, who stood there while looking that at the tombstones with an emotionless look on his face. His blue eyes, which used to be full of life, were now dimmed and lifeless, you could almost say they were colorless. Standing behind him was E.E., who was also looking at the tombstones. They both were standing there in dead silence for a long time until they heard someone approaching. Rai turned around and saw that the figure approaching was Leila Malkal, who was carrying flowers in her arms.

She walked past Rai and stood directly in front of the gravestones. Leila then knelt down and placed the flowers she brought in front of both memorial stones. She then said a quick prayer to herself and then stood back up to face Rai.

"So, that uniform you're wearing, is that a…" Rai said as he looked at the blue military uniform Leila was wearing.

"Yes, it's an E.U. military uniform. In a few months I'm going to be the commander of a special E.U. military force."

"I see…and did your friend Anna Clements receive the Glasgow and five Sutherlands I shipped over there to her?"

"Yes, and she gives her thanks to you for giving the machines to her. It will help her greatly in her own knightmare research."

"Well, I wish you both good luck in the E.U. military and for your new position."

"And what about you Rai…What do you plan on doing?"

"Me, I'm going to change Britannia and the areas they conquered. Its…what my mother would have wanted me to do. Besides, the current Britannian system is twisted and corrupt. It needs to be changed for the better. I won't stand by and watch people suffer if there is something that I can do for them. And if I must fight Britannia or any of the Numbers to bring about peace then so be it."

"I see…So I guess that means we both walk our own paths from here on. Do you think we'll see each other again?"

"Probably not…"

"Is that so…In that case…"

Leila then walked over to Rai, grabbed his face with her hands, and gave him a quick kiss on the lips which caught the boy off guard.

"W-What was that for…?" Rai asked with a flustered look on his face.

"Don't you know…In some places in the E.U. a quick kiss on the lips is a special way to say goodbye to someone."

"I-I knew that."

"Well, I'm sure you'll be fine. You have E.E. with you after all. And if you ever need a place to stay here's the keys to a house my parents own here on the east coast of the main land. We probably won't be using it anymore but, you can use it as a haven." Leila then handed Rai the keys.

"Thank you, Leila." Rai softly said.

"Well, my time here is over. I need to go back to the E.U. now." And with that Leila turned and started to walk away. As Rai watched Leila get further and further away snowflakes started to come down from the sky. Once Leila disappeared completely from his sight the snow really started to come down. Rai then put on a brown colored poncho while E.E. wore a white colored poncho. Rai then looked back down at the tombstones for one last time and remembered the last thing his mother told him before she died.

"_You must live Rai…and create your own future."_

"Come on E.E., it's time for us go as well." Rai said as the two of them began to walk in the opposite direction that Leila went.

Back at the tombstones, the left one, Rai's sister, said…

(2003 a.t.b.-2015 a.t.b.) Sakura

While the right one, Rai's mother, said…

(1975 a.t.b.-2015 a.t.b.) Shizuka Sumeragi

**7:20 P.M. October 17, 2016 a.t.b.**

For the next two years Rai spent his time being a mercenary, helping Britannia or the resistance groups mostly around the Britannia homeland as well as Areas 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 and 12. Whenever serious fighting broke out, Rai would appear on the scene, stop the fighting, and then brought about peace in the area. On one of these operations, in Area 12, Rai encountered someone who would later become a persistent foe of his.

Rai's new operation has brought him to Area 12, formerly called the Philippines, where the Twelve's were being used as slaves to work out in the fields and tend to the crops by the current viceroy. Along with Peace Mark, a worldwide terrorist group that he frequently allies himself with, was going on a operation to rescue the enslaved Twelve's and destroy or steal any supplies they find at their main base. Once everything was ready to go, Rai and his partner Orpheus Zevon, who was called OZ when he was on an operation, headed off for their knightmares. While Orpheus was piloting his own customized Glasgow, Peace Mark gave Rai a Burai, a Glasgow remodeled by the Japanese, to pilot.

A Peace Mark member then signaled Rai and Orpheus to take off as he pushed a button on his remote. When he did several explosions went off at the viceroy's main base. All their buildings were destroyed as well as the hanger which contained all their knightmares, leaving the Britannian soldiers defenseless. The mere sight of Rai and Orpheus' knightmares were enough to scare the soldiers away while the Twelve's escaped from their quarters and started to flee from the base. It looked like the mission was going to be an easy but there was one thing that Rai and Peace Mark didn't know about.

They were completely unaware that Maribelle mel Britannia, 88th princess of the Imperial Family and the leader of the Glinda Knights, was currently visiting Area 12 and had her G1 base positioned outside the main base. When she saw the explosions happening she called five of her Glinda Knights to head out into the battlefield and stop the fighting from continuing any further. From the hanger three red-colored Sutherlands, one red-colored Gloucester, and one blue-colored Gloucester launched out and headed in to the battle site.

Rai then noticed five new IFF signals heading into the base.

"OZ, there are five enemy units coming in. They must be reinforcements. We'll split up here and deal with them separately." Rai called out.

"Roger that." Orpheus said as his Glasgow went down the left lane while Rai's Burai went down the right lane.

Orpheus then encountered a Glinda Sutherland and began shooting his Glasgow's assault rifle at it. The Sutherland however dodged the rifle shots and came charging in with its jousting lance. As it was coming in Orpheus shot his slash harkens at the enemy knightmare to force its direction path off and made it miss him. Since the Sutherland had to go right past him and was close to his frame Orpheus brought out his Glasgow's Combat Knife and jammed it right into the Sutherland's cockpit, killing its pilot. The Sutherland then became lifeless as it fell over onto the ground. Just when he thought he was finished another enemy knightmare came charging in.

"You bastard!" A female's voice called from a Glinda Gloucester as it drew out two steel swords and attacked the Glasgow.

Orpheus however blocked it with combat knife and the two frames were now in a deadlock with the Gloucester.

Meanwhile, down on the other lane, Rai encountered two Sutherlands coming in. Since they didn't notice him yet his frame in the shadows, waiting for a chance to take them down. Once they passed by him and had their backs turned towards him Rai immediately came out of hiding and shot his assault rifle at one of the Sutherland's landspinner, knocking them off. Before the Sutherland fell over however Rai came up from behind it and attacked the body of the frame with the stun tonfa. The Sutherland then took too much damage so the pilot ejected as the frame fell over and exploded into flames. The other Sutherland then noticed Rai's presence and charged at him with his stun tonfa. Both the Burai's and Sutherland's stun tonfa clashed with each other but Rai, being the more skilled one, managed to knock his foe back. He then activated his slash harkens and dragged the Sutherland towards the ground. Rai then shot the assault rifle to destroy the Sutherland. The pilot had no choice but to eject.

Rai then looked at his monitor to notice a blue colored Gloucester headed his way. It charged right at him with its jousting lance and his Burai was barely able to dodge the attack. Rai then tried to shoot his slash harken at it but the Gloucester shot them down with the assault rifle.

"I see, so that's how a Gloucester operates…In that case…"

Knowing that his fame was inferior and wasn't going to win Rai opened the cockpit and jumped towards a ledge with a remote in his hand. He then watched as the Gloucester jammed its jousting lance into his Burai. When he saw that the Gloucester did exactly what he wanted it to do he pushed the button on the remote which caused the Burai to explode. Rai already anticipated that something like would occur and had a Sakuradite bomb installed on his Burai before the operation.

When the smoke cleared from the small explosion he saw that only the Gloucester's body and cockpit was still intact which meant the pilot must have noticed the bomb and tried to back away at the last moment.

Rai then drew his katana out and charged straight towards the cockpit. The pilot however came out and blocked Rai's assault with his sword. The pilot of the blue Gloucester was a boy about the same age as Rai and had sandy-brown hair. They both then repeatedly clashed their swords, with the sound of the metal beating off each other.

"Your pretty good at this aren't you?" The boy said complimenting Rai.

"You're not bad yourself." Rai replied back.

"Please allow me to introduce myself. I'm the second knight of the Glinda, my name is Michael Steinberg." The boy named Michael said as he properly introduced himself.

"So, you're a knight huh? That explains your excellent swordsmanship."

"I told you my name, now please introduce yourself. It's rude to not give your own name when someone gave you theirs." Michael demanded.

"I'm only called Rai, nothing more, nothing less." Was all Rai would say.

"Rai huh, I'll remember that name. It's too bad though…"

"What's too bad?"

"It's too bad that you're a terrorist and I have to put you under arrest. You would have been the perfect sparring partner."

"Don't call me a terrorist! I'm only doing what's right." Rai yelled out.

"By blowing up buildings and destroying everything? You call that right? To me that only sounds like acts of terrorism!" Michael shouted back.

"That wasn't what I was talking about. The viceroy of this Area were using the Twelve's as slaves here and I came here to help the resistance group rescue them."

"What…you mean they were being used as slaves…?" Michael said shocked.

Hearing this has caught him off guard which gave Rai a chance to strike. He came in with a powerful upward swing of his sword and knocked Michael's weapon out of his hand. He then swung his sword downward and slashed Michael's body leaving a huge slash mark across his body. Rai then kicked Michael's stomach and he fell down backwards onto the ground. Rai then stood right over him with his katana resting on his shoulders.

"Well…it looks like I've been defeated…Now please…finish me off." Michael said with a defeated look on his face. Rai however just sighed at him.

"You fool, I don't kill unnecessarily."

"Huh, but aren't you…"

"I already told you, I'm not a terrorist. I only do what I believe is right because someday I'm going to…"

Before Rai could finish however he saw a red Gloucester approaching them and quickly scurried off into the dark alley lanes. The red Gloucester then stopped near Michael and a girl named Oldrin Zevon, Princess Maribelle's personal knight, came out and walked over to Michael.

"What happened to you? You look like a mess." Oldrin said.

"I've been defeated…sorry…"

"Now's not the time to worry about that. We need to get you to the infirmary back on the G1 base."

"Next time I won't lose to him…"

"Who…"

"The one who defeated me…Rai…"

Later on that night Maribelle ordered a ceasefire and asked to hold a meeting to discuss some peace terms with the resistance fighters. The members of Peace Mark wasn't interested in discussing peace terms however and fled. Rai and the leaders of the Twelve's resistance fighters however decided to attend. When they arrived they all sat at a table aboard the G1 base to discuss peace terms. Princess Maribelle had Oldrin Zevon and some guards protecting her so the resistance fighters couldn't do anything to her. After the meeting it was decided that the current viceroy of Area 12 would resigned and Maribelle will take over as viceroy until they find a more suitable replacement. While the Twelve's continued to work out in the fields they were paid for it now and were allowed to have more time off. Seeing that the peace conference was a success Rai left Area 12.

**7:15 A.M. May 28, 2017 a.t.b.**

Inside the dining room of the house Leila's family was letting Rai use, Rai and E.E. was sitting at the table with E.E. drinking tea while Rai read the newspaper. The television was also on as well. As she continued to drink her tea E.E. called out to Rai.

"Rai, can I ask you something?"

"What is it?" Rai said as he continued to read the newspaper.

"You've been doing this mercenary business for almost two years now. And you have helped out several people as well. The places you help improved could have been the perfect place to live a peaceful life."

"E.E., for me, there is no hope that I will ever achieve a happy life for myself. And I'm okay with that. I have long given up the thought of being happy anymore."

"How sad and lonely that must be…" E.E. said in a soft tone.

Rai then looked over at the television and saw that the news was on. Today there was a special report of a huge gas leak released in the Shinjuku Ghettos of Area 11. It also appears that Clovis la Britannia, the third prince of the Imperial Family, was killed.

"Hmmm…Area 11…that's it." Rai said as a thought appeared in his mind.

"What is…?" E.E. said confused.

"I think it's about time to strike a huge blow against Britannia." Rai mused.

"And how do you plan to do that?"

"By taking away their main source of energy for their knightmares. Area 11 is supposed to contain 70% of the world's Sakuradite, the main power supply for knightmares. If their main power supply is gone, then the Britannian army won't be able to expand which will weaken their forces as a whole. You see what I'm getting at here?"

"I think I do. So does that means we're going to Area 11 next?"

"Yes, that's correct."

Rai and E.E. then began to prepare to head out and took an airplane to Area 11.

**4:30 P.M. June 3, 2017 a.t.b.**

Once Rai and E.E. left the airport station they arrived at the Tokyo Settlement.

"This land sure has changed since your mother and I lived here."

"You and my mother lived here for a long time didn't you?"

"I've been in this country for a long time before your mother dragged me to another country…Yes, for a long time…" E.E. said spacing out.

"Come on, we got things to do." Rai said as E.E. started to follow him.

They started to head out for the Shinjuku Ghettos as they took a detour through the settlement. Once they were in the ghettos they looked around the place until it was evening. Rai had hope he would run into some members of the JLF and have them take him to their leader so he could take over, and would use his Geass if he had to, and use them to beat the Britannian Military and drive them out of this country. Rai and E.E. then continued to walk down the streets until she whispered something to him.

"Rai, we're being watched."

"Yeah…I know." Rai said as he began to pull out his katana.

An explosion then went off near them. The two then cleared away and saw a figure approaching from the smoke. The figure from the smoke was wearing a black colored leather outfit and was completely covered up. He also had a black leather mask on and the only human feature you could see on this man was his eyes. Rai couldn't tell if he was even human.

Rai was then ready to attack the mysterious person with his sword but when he looked into the figures eyes he couldn't move.

"W-What the…why can't I move…" Rai said as his body stopped moving and started to shake.

"Rai, what's wrong?" E.E. called out to him

"W-Wait…those eyes…"

Rai then took a closer at the figure's eyes and saw that he had bird-like sigils in both of his eyes which meant…

"You have Geass too…!" Rai yelled out.

"Oh, so you know about Geass. In that case you're not going to be living in a few seconds." The figure said in a deep male voice as he pulled out a piece of Sakuradite and threw it at Rai.

Since Rai couldn't move he was about to be struck by the rock until E.E. rushed over and pushed him out of the way. The Sakuradite then stuck onto E.E.'s clothes.

"What is this?" E.E. said as she tried to pull the rock off but it continued to stick onto her clothes.

"You're not going to be able to pull that off lass. That is a special bomb I made and is condensed of a special sticky surface on the outside that will stick to anything. And now…you're going to be its first test subject!" The figure said as he pushed a button on his remote which caused the bomb stuck on E.E. to go off.

"E.E.!" Rai yelled out as the force of the explosion caused him to fall backwards.

When the smoke clouds disappeared only a huge blood stain on the floor where E.E. was standing remained.

"Well, what do you know…it blew her to hell."

"Why you…!"

Rai then charged at his foe with his katana sword in his hand and attacked the man while making sure not to look into his eyes so he won't be under the effects of his geass. The figure however parried Rai and his katana by using a rapier as his weapon. The figure then came in for a stab and while Rai thought he was going to be able to dodge it was suddenly struck in the side by the rapier.

"W-What…I thought I was going to dodge that…so how did he…"

Rai was puzzled on how he wasn't about to dodge that attack and the figure came back and attempted several more strikes. Rai was then pushed back as he was hit by all the stabs and crouched down while holding on to his sword. He has never been in a situation like this before. After catching his breath Rai got back up and swung his katana at his foe although the figure dodged it like it was nothing. Frustrated he tried several more attacks but the figure dodged all the strikes by taking only one step out of the attacks.

"_How in the world is he dodging all my strikes so easily? It's as if he's predicting everything I do and he seems to be moving swiftly…or maybe it's just that I…"_

"It seems you were finally able to figure it out. I'll let you in a little secret. When I look into someone's eyes with my Geass they stop moving completely…But when I just look at them they slow down considerably. The way you are now it's as if you're moving in slow motion."

"That means you're able to predict all my movement."

"That's right."

"By even so…I'll still win somehow."

"This is a hopeless fight for you. You cannot win."

Rai tried to come in for another swing but the figure hit Rai's stomach with his left knee which stopped the boy. The man then punched Rai in the face, knocking the katana out of his hands, and sent the boy flying into a ruined wall. The figure then picked up Rai's sword and walked over to where the boy was sitting at.

"Now, this is the end, for you." The man said as he held the katana in the air ready to swing down at the boy.

Now that he was trapped with nowhere to run, beaten up and tired, Rai thought this was the end for him.

"Well, I guess this is as far I was meant to go. This is where I am going to…" Rai slowly started to say to himself.

And then, at that moment, the dying words of his mother called out to him.

"_You must live Rai."_

Rai's Geass then activated on its own.

"Get away from me and die!" Rai unconsciously screamed out in fear as a red orb filled between the two of them.

The man then suddenly stopped moving.

"Very well, as you wish…" The man said as he stepped back and placed another one of those sticky sakuradite bombs where his heart was.

He then pushed a button on his remote and the bomb exploded. When the smoke cleared Rai could only see a huge blood stain on the ground where the man was standing. Knowing that the man was now gone Rai's Geass deactivated itself. He then slowly but gradually got back up on his feet. He didn't know where his katana or E.E. was but didn't care because he knew he had to go get some rest somewhere and slowly started to head for the settlement.

As he reached the border between the ghettos and the settlement Rai came across a girl with long green hair. Her appearance reminded him of E.E.

"So, you're Rai." The girl called out to him.

"Huh…do you know me?" Rai said confused.

"E.E. told me everything about you."

"You know E.E.? Are you two related or something."

"I guess you could say that…But we're not related in the way you're probably thinking."

"Oh…"

"Do you want me to help you?"

"Huh…"

"I asked if you wanted me to help you. After all, you don't look so good in your current condition."

"I would appreciate it if you help me out."

"While I'm perfectly okay with helping you out, it's going to cost you."

"Okay, what do you want me to do for you?"

"Oh, nothing really...You'll just have to entertain me for a while and make yourself useful to me in the future." C.C. said as she poked Rai in the head.

When she did that a jolt of electricity went through Rai's mind and he fell unconscious as he collapsed onto the ground.

"When you wake up, you'll have no memories of your past. I look forward to seeing how someone like you will act when they have no clue of who they used to be."

After fixing the boy up with some ointment C.C. helped Rai stand back up.

"Now run…and live." C.C. whispered to the boy.

Rai slowly opened his eyes and then started to run off into the settlement, not realizing that he was unconsciously being guided by C.C.'s thoughts.

C.C. then looked at a nearby television to see Zero and the Black Knight's debut at Lake Kawaguchi.

"You better watch out Lelouch, tomorrow you'll have an unexpected guest visiting your school."

The next day Rai spent the whole day running around the settlement before finally collapsing in front of Ashford Academy. He was later found and taken in by Milly Ashford and Lelouch Lamperouge.

**6:10 P.M. August 1, 2017 a.t.b.**

Inside the ruins of Kamine Island a boy named Rai now stands tall on top of an ancient altar with a serious face that shows confidence as well as blue eyes full of determination. He then called out to the voice who was talking with him before.

"E.E., I'm going to be leaving now. I'll come back for you once I'm finished with some business in Area 11." The boy then started to walk away from the altar.

"_I'll be waiting for you here then."_ The voice echoed in the cavern and then E.E.'s presence disappeared.

It wasn't until the boy started to walk again that he noticed how weak and tired his body was. It felt like there was a heavy burden on his body just by walking.

"I guess, for now, I'll rely on that group to get me off this island." Rai silently said to himself.

Once he was out of the cavern Rai pulled his phone out and dialed a number on it.

"Zero, this is Rai…"

Moving on to the next Stage…

**Leila Malkal and Anna Clements are characters from Code Geass: Akito the Exiled. Orpheus Zevon is a character from Code Geass: Oz the Reflection. And in case I forgot to mention this before, Oldrin Zevon and Maribelle mel Britannia are characters from Code Geass Oz the Reflection as well. And now for some new OC's**

**Name: Shizuka Sumeragi**

**Age of Death: 40**

**Hair Color: Black**

**Eye Color: Green**

**Nationality: Eleven**

**Allegiance: Sumeragi Clan, E.E.**

**Name: E.E. (Real name unknown)**

**Age: Unknown (Looks somewhere between late teens or early twenties)**

**Hair Color: Dark Blue**

**Eye Color: Golden-Brown**

**Nationality: Unknown**

**Allegiance: Shizuka Sumeragi**

**Name: Sakura**

**Other Names: Sakura Thurston, Sakura Sumeragi, Half-Breed**

**Age of Death: 12**

**Hair Color: Pink**

**Eye Color: Green**

**Nationality: Britannian/Eleven**

**Name: JonathanThurston**

**Other Names: The Blue Blur of Britannia**

**Age of Death: 40**

**Hair Color: Blondish-Brown**

**Eye Color: Blue**

**Nationality: Britannia**

**Allegiance: Britannia, Britannia Military, Knights of the Round**

**Occupation: Knight of Eight Knightmare Pilot**


	19. Chapter 19

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Chapter 19: Battle at Kyushu and the Truth Revealed

Once Rai was outside of the cavern he pulled a phone out and dialed a number on it.

"Zero, this is Rai…Yes, the Britannian forces have left this area, it's safe to come here with your submarine…Yeah, even after falling off a knightmare on my back, running like crazy through the woods, and falling off a cliff from an explosion caused by a grenade I'll be fine as long as I find a place to lie down and get some rest…" Rai started to say sarcastically.

"I see, I'll be waiting over by the beach area then…Yeah, see you there."

After he finished his call Rai turned his phone off and slowly made his way over to the beach while holding his right hand on his left side. His side was starting to hurt and Rai felt exhausted. As Rai waited for the Black Knights to show up he stood there at the beach area and watched the sun slowly setting over the horizon of the ocean. The water was glowing a light orange from the sun. After a while a submarine submerged from the ocean and Rai saw a figure jump out from the hull and into the shallow water. Rai feebly waved his left hand at the figure advancing through the shallow water.

"Rai…!"

Kallen cried out his name as she ran through the water and onto the beach.

"Kallen…" Rai softly said as he saw Kallen approach him.

Once she got close to him Kallen jumped towards Rai and latched herself onto him by wrapping her arms around his neck. But because Rai had no strength left in his body, he was knocked down on his behind as he failed to support her.

"Thank goodness…Thank goodness you're safe…"

She tearfully repeated those words several times while rubbing her face up against his.

"So, it seems like everyone was able to make it back safely, that's good."

Rai's tender moment with Kallen was short-lived however as she quickly pushed him down and got off of him.

"How could you go out and search for us by yourself!? In the end, we were saved, but do you have any idea how worried everyone else was…?"

"I'm sorry…but at that time I couldn't just sit still and wait quietly…" Rai apologetically said.

"Geez, sometimes you can be so…"

As Rai looked up at Kallen's face he could suddenly feel all the exhaustion in his body catch up to him. Rai's consciousness then began to fade as he lied down backwards on the beach.

(On the Black Knight's Submarine)

Zero and C.C. stood on top of the submarine as they watched Rai and Kallen reunite with each other.

"Those two really do care for each other don't they?" C.C. said.

"Yes, you might be right about that. But…that's not necessarily a bad thing." Zero responded.

At that exact moment they both saw Kallen push Rai down.

"Then again, they still have a ways to go." C.C. said.

"I suppose I should go get him before he infuriates her any further." Zero said as he came down from the submarine and walked over to the shores of the beach. When he got over to the two he saw that Rai was already unconscious. Zero then picked up Rai and held him in his arms as he started to carry him back over to the submarine.

"It's time we left this island Kallen. We're taking Rai back to the settlement." Zero called out.

"Right." Kallen said as she got up and followed Zero back into the submarine with C.C.

The Black Knights then returned to Area 11 where they placed Rai on a bed in the infirmary of the Black Knights Hideout. Everyone was then in the lounge when important news flash came on.

_"Atsushi Sawasaki, leader of the forces that has occupied the Fukuoka Base, was chief Cabinet Secretary of the Kururugi Administration in the former nation of Japan. After the war he fled to the Chinese Federation but is apparently making his move now in response to the recent civil unrest caused by Zero. Sawasaki's group is working in conjunction with a terrorist organization in Kyushu. After cutting off vehicle access from Honshu and Shikoku, and with support from Chinese Federation's Liaodong military district forces they're expanding their occupation around Fukuoka, Nagasaki and Oita. According to General Tsao, the Chinese Federation is providing humanitarian support and is not acting in contravention to the Manila Conference. Whether the Black Knights are connected to this is still under investigation."_

"Ergh…We're not part of this!" Tamaki shouted out loud at the television.

"What does Kyoto say about this?" Ohgi asked Diethard.

"They didn't know this was coming. They were just notified about this unilateral claim over the Sakuradite mining rights." Diethard responded.

"Zero, it's our move. What are we going to do?" Kallen asked Zero.

"First we'll rally all our forces into the submarine and it will be there that I'll explain how we will react to Sawasaki's group."

Zero then ordered everyone to head out to the submarine. Afterwards they began to head out on their next operation.

(Back in the Black Knight Hideout Infirmary)

When Rai woke up he looked up at the ceiling above his bed and noticed that he was in the Black Knights Infirmary.

"Someone must have picked me up and carried me to a bed." Rai said to himself as he got up and left the Black Knight's Infirmary to find himself inside one of the underground hideouts.

Unlike yesterday Rai felt much better now that I had some rest. He began wandering around the place only to discover that nobody was around. Rai assumed that Zero and everyone else are out on a new operation or something. He then changed into his Ashford uniform and headed out for the settlement. Rai felt that he needed to go get some fresh air and he also needed to think through some things. In the settlement Rai walked around several different areas of the settlement, particularly places he went through when he was guided as an amnesiac. As Rai walked around the settlement, he couldn't help but notice that the place seemed different somehow. And then it hit him.

"Yes, unlike my time here as an amnesiac, when everything seemed to be colorless, I can see the true colors of this settlement perfectly now."

After walking around for a while Rai found himself in the Settlement Park, a place he frequently visited with the members of the student council. Upon arriving in the park Rai felt like taking a rest so he sat down on one of the benches and looked up at the sky. Judging by the sun's position and the cloud's formation it's already noon. Rai then stood up, left the park and headed for Ashford Academy. Once he arrived on school grounds Rai went inside the clubhouse and entered the student council room. Inside he saw that Milly, Shirley, Rivalz and Nina were inside working with papers for Student Council while the television was turned on.

"Come on guys, step it up! You don't have enough guts!" Milly said giving everyone a prep chant.

"That's easy for you to say Madam President! I'm doing work for three people!" Rivalz said complaining.

"We're working as fast as we can!" Shirley screamed out.

"At this rate we're not going to have everything ready for the school festival!" Milly continued on saying.

_"I see that this place hasn't changed at all."_ Rai mused to himself.

Milly then finally noticed that Rai was standing in front of the door.

"Oh, it's you Rai. I see that you're finally getting better now." Milly cheerfully said.

"Oh, thank god! The student cavalry has arrived!" Riavlz said with a sigh of relief.

"Please come over here and help us finish all this paper work won't you Rai?" Shirley asked politely.

"Sure thing."

Rai then sat down next to Shirley and went to work on his assignment. As he worked on his duties Rai noticed that Milly was staring intently at him. Rai wondered what was wrong and decided to call out to her.

"Is there something wrong Milly?"

"No, it's nothing…It's just that, you look more mature somehow."

"Hey, I noticed that too." Shirley called out as she looked over at Rai.

"And how is that?"

"Today you don't seem to have a dopey or confused look on your face like you normally do. Today your face shows signs of confidence and your eyes look sharper and more powerful. Your skin also looks less pale than it usually is as well."

"Oh, is that so?"

It seems that Milly and Shirley has already noticed the changes about him.

"But, you know what guys, I'm started to notice that our student council members seem to go missing quite often lately." Shirley pointed out.

"Yeah, I know Kallen is usually sick and Suzaku has his military duties, but that fool Lelouch always seems to be gone." Rivalz said out loud.

"Yeah, that's right, Even though I don't really know him that well or talk to him Lelouch never seems to be here anymore. Where does that guy always go? Lelouch has to be going somewhere suspicious I bet." Shirley sharply pointed out.

"Huh…what do you mean you don't know Lelouch that well?" Rai asked Shirley.

As far as he could remember Shirley always seemed to look after Lelouch's well-being and tried to keep him out of trouble. But ever since they had that supposedly fight…

"Yeah, I've never knew he existed until Milly introduced me to him a few days ago. And even then I've hardly ever talked to him." Shirley said with all honesty in her voice.

Rai however was finding this hard to believe. He knew that Shirley and Lelouch got into a fight some time ago but he figured they would have gotten over that by now. But she's still acting like she doesn't know Lelouch even though he's not here himself. Her attitude towards him is too different from before and she even stopped calling him Lulu. Even if it's just play-acting, it's a little strange. Shirley is acting as if she's been…but in that case…Lelouch has to be…

Rai then stood up from his chair and gave Shirley a short bow.

"Thank you Shirley…You've helped me figure out something that's been on my mind for a while now."

"Huh…uh…sure…What exactly did I help you with?" Shirley said confused.

Rai however ignored Shirley and looked over at Milly.

"Milly, isn't it time we set up those booths for the student festival?" Rai asked her.

"Yeah, you're right…We have to set them up sometime today. Come on, let's go Rai…You too, Rivalz."

"I'm coming Madam President." Rivalz said as he, Rai and Milly left the student council to prepare the festival booths.

(Outside Rai's POV)

While aboard the Avalon, as Cecile was finishing adding the new Float Systems to the Lancelot and Lancelot Club, Sai sat down in the dining room contemplating about something that occurred on Kamine Island.

_"Back on that island…that one Black Knight soldier who was left behind…Now that I think about it he kind of looked like that one guy I fought about a year ago in Area 12…Could he really be…No, that can't be right…The guy on that island was running away like a coward…The guy I know, even though he was against Britannia, he fought with honor and would never run away from a fight…And besides, that Black Knight coward didn't even possess a sword, like somebody I know…But still…"_

Sai's thoughts were then interrupted by Suzaku who came into the room and sat down next to him while drinking a bottle of water.

"Hey there Sai…is something on your mind?" Suzaku kindly asked.

"Hmm…no, it's nothing really. Anyways, how did you do on the float system simulator?" Sai asked.

"Oh, you mean the one I just finished? I made a perfect score on it."

"So you did well to huh…Say, if you don't mind me asking…Why did you give up on being Princess Euphemia's Knight? I mean after all, you were one of the first Non-Britannains to receive such an honor."

When Sai asked that question it caused Suzaku to look down in disappointment.

"Well because…Princess Euphemia still approves of me…Even as I am now. So if I caused her any trouble, if I brought her any dishonor or shame, I have a feeling she would end up hating herself."

Before Sai could comment on Suzaku's answer an incoming message came over the intercom.

"Incoming Missiles! Launch point seems to be from Fukuoka Base! One minute, five seconds to impact!" A voice on the intercom said.

Suzaku and Sai then left the dining room and headed straight for their knightmares.

"Not bad, they're well prepared against air raids as well." Lloyd commended them.

"Are we setting up a barrage?" Suzaku questioned.

"We'll be fine in this position." Cecile said.

The Avalon then activated its Blaze Luminous shields to protect itself against the flying missiles.

"Lancelot's shields were already proven on the battlefield." Lloyd said.

"Suzaku, Sai, I'm laying out the mission plan for final verification. This ship will breach the enemy's front lines from high altitudes and move directly to the launch point. The Lancelot and Lancelot Club will use the Float Systems to attack the enemy headquarters at Fukuoka Base. Be careful, the float units consumes energy at a rapid pace, so pay attention to your operation time.

"Yes, my lord."

The Lancelot then prepared to take off in the Avalon launch panel.

"Lancelot unit, now launching!"

"Launching!"

The Lancelot then took off from the launch pad and activated its float system. It then headed for the base while still flying in the air.

"Okay, now second unit, Lancelot Club, begin to takeoff."

"Right, I'm heading out."

The Lancelot Club then took off from the launch pad, activated its float system, and began following after its brother unit with the Varis Rifle ready in its hand.

(Down in the Black Knights Submarine)

"Uh…are you saying…" Tamaki began to say.

"We aren't going to cooperate with Sawasaki. He's not independent. He's a puppet of the Chinese Federation." Zero responded.

"But he says he's fighting for Japan!" A soldier pointed out.

"We get a new name and a new master but nothing would change. His Japan is a sham."

"Yeah…so what you're really saying is…" Asahina started to say.

"When Britannia strikes back we play dead?" Urabe finished saying.

"Zero, perhaps you better clarify what our overall mission is." Diethard suggested.

"Yeah he's right. Evening leaving the Sawasaki matter aside, what's our mid-term goal on all of this?" Ohgi asked Zero.

"To make Tokyo an independent nation." Was Zero's answer which surprised everyone in the room.

"Independent…?" Kallen called out.

"A nation…?" Asahina said.

"Are you serious?"

"You mean us?"

"A country?"

"I thought so. He's really going all the way." Diethard quietly said to himself.

"Wait a minute! No matter how big the Black Knights have expanded…" Ohgi started to say.

"Our enemy is an empire that controls a third of the entire world!" Chiba finished saying.

"We can't pull that off ourselves!" Tamaki screamed out.

"Then answer this! Are you just going to sit back and wait for someone else to defeat Britannia? Do you think that if you wait long enough someday the right chance will finally come? Don't be naïve! If we don't stand up and do it ourselves that 'someday' will never come!"

After the meeting was over Zero headed for the hanger where he was confronted by Rakshata.

"So, is this machine ready for use yet?" Zero asked her.

"Yes, everything should be ready to use even though this knightmare, Gawain, is still just a prototype."

"It will do for now." Zero said as he boarded the cockpit with C.C. who was coming with him since the knightmare could hold two people.

"I'm expecting to get some get data out of this. Oh yeah, I also have something for you to look at when you return." Rakshata said while holding some papers in her hands.

"I'll look into it later then." Zero then closed the hatch of the cockpit and proceeded to leave the hanger.

(Back to Suzaku and Sai)

As the Lancelots were heading for the base ten enemy aircraft units came charging in firing their machine guns. Suzaku used the Lancelot's four Slash Harkens and Varis Rifle to take down most of the units and continued on ahead. As he saw the battle location two of the remaining aircrafts suddenly appeared before him but were shot down by the Varis Rifle of the Lancelot Club.

"Thanks for the assist." Suzaku called out.

"No problem, now let's head in there and put an end to this." Sai said.

"Right."

Suzaku then received an open channel from the enemy.

"This is minister Kawasaki. Is that Prime Minister Kururugi's son is the pilot seat? I see, I didn't know he had a son like you." Suzaku then noticed that it was Kawasaki that contacted him.

"This has nothing to do with my father. I came here to put an end to this fighting. I will accept your surrender." Suzaku said as he and Sai arrived at the base.

"You want to rob Japan of its dream of freedom?" Kawasaki confusingly said.

"Freedom has the come the right way. Not like this."

"You'll act out of selfishness? It's justice without ideology."

"No, you're wrong. That's not what I…"

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club were suddenly ambushed by Gun-Ru, a whole swarm of them. Sai only lost his Varis Rifle but Suzaku lost its Varis Rifle and Float System as they came charging in.

"Oh no my energy filler!" Suzaku said as he lost about half of his energy supply.

"Hehehe…He allowed me to distract him. He still has much to learn." Sawasaki said as he chuckled to himself.

"Are you kidding, they blasted off the float system?" Lloyd cried out.

"The Avalon has to strike out the base." Cecile suggested.

"No, the shields doesn't completely surround us! One direct hit and we'll go down in flames."

"Suzaku, reroute all power to combat and comp system! Sai, you'll have to take the front lines and protect Suzaku."

"I'm on it! I guess it's up to me this time."" Sai said as he whipped out both of his MVS Sword Lances.

"Suzaku, you go after Sawasaki, I'll take care of these guys." Sai said as he took out the Lancelot's Assault Rifle with his right hand and held a MVS Sword Lance with his left.

"Right, I'm counting on you." Suzaku said as he went down a different lane.

"You have better surrender Suzaku. Since you're Prime Minister Kururugi's son, I guarantee you'll be very well treated my boy." Sawasaki offered to Suzaku.

"I decline, if I use my father's name for this I'll never forgive myself. This is between you and me."

"I see…You're very much like your father's son…As foolish and stubborn as he was."

"Shoot those two units down!" Sawasaki ordered.

The Gun-Rus then opened fire and shot at the Lancelots. Sai took to the front lines and started taking down Gun-Rus while Suzaku headed for the main building.

"Man, there's no end to them." Sai said he went down the lane taking Gun-Ru after Gun-Ru out. But when the Lancelot Club took out one unit, another one would replace it.

"At this rate, even my unit will run out of energy." Sai said as he looked at his energy filler and saw it depleting.

As Suzaku went down a separate path, he took out the Gun-Rus standing on the side-lines. He then received an open channel from Euphemia.

"Suzaku Kururugi…!" Euphemia voice resounded out.

"Princess Euphemia…!" Suzaku said surprised.

"Suzaku, the truth is, you and I…that is…"

"Sorry, but right now…"

Suzaku said as he was trying to concentrate on taking out Gun-Rus with his MVS Swords and slash harkens.

"You see…I hereby command you to love me!" Euphemia ordered.

"Right…Wait what!" Suzaku said surprised.

"Huh…" Cecile wondered.

"What…What is it?" Lloyd said worried.

"Uh…sorry, this is private!" Cecile said looking away from Lloyd.

"I think I'm on the wrong channel here." Sai said as he cut communication from Suzaku but stayed linked to the Avalon.

"And in return I will love you forever!"

"Princess Euphemia…"

"Suzaku, I love your stubbornness, your kindness, and your strength…Your sad eyes, your clumsiness, and the way you have trouble with cats…I love everything about you! So please, don't hate yourself!"

"I see that I made you even more worried than I did before. You really are…Everything you do is impulsive! When we first met, when you told me you were a princess, when you selected my school, when you made me a knight…Always!"

"Yes, they were all sudden…That's because…I suddenly realized…"

"But then, it's that spur of your unpredictability that opened so many doors for me. Thank you!"

"What are you doing? Stop them now!" Sawasaki ordered.

"Princess, can I make one final request?" Suzaku said.

"Final…What do you mean?" Euphemia said confused.

"If something happens to me, whatever it is please don't blame yourself. Destroy all records and every trace, so no one knows what happened to me."

The Lancelot was then completely surrounded by Gun-Rus.

"I don't want my friends to be sad. Just tell them I transferred schools or make up some story."

"Suzaku don't tell me you're…"

"Yes, the knightmare is out of energy." Suzaku said as the Lancelot's energy filler completely depleted.

"Oh, and please say goodbye to Miss Cecile, Lloyd, Sai, and Prince Schneizel for me.

"Come on machine move! We have to hurry up and reach Suzaku before it's too late!" Sai said as the Lancelot Club scurried down the lane trying to catch up to Suzaku but Gun-Rus kept surrounding him and slowing him down considerably. Once he did make it to Suzaku his Lancelot Club was out of energy as well.

"I'm sorry Suzaku…It looks like I wasn't able to protect you after all. Even though our time together wasn't very long, it was an honor working with you, Suzaku Kururugi." Sai proudfully said.

"Yeah, I enjoyed working with you too, Sai. Heh…I was stubborn all the way to the end…"

"No, don't die Suzaku…You have to live!" Euphemia cried out.

"W-What the…?" Suzaku said as he eyes started to form a red circle around them.

"And fire…!" Sawasaki ordered.

As soon as he said that though two hadron blasts came shooting down from the sky, destroying all the Gun-Rus surrounding the Lancelot and Lancelot Club. Suzaku's eyes then returned to normal. Both of them then looked up to see a black knightmare come down from where the hadrons came from.

"Huh?" Sawasaki said as he wondered what just happened.

"What was that?"

Something just appeared on the radar!"

"A stealth system!"

"We've got a picture here!"

The screen then displayed a black knightmare descended down from the night sky.

"I see…so the famous white knightmares are named Lancelot and Lancelot Club. And they are fighting as recklessly as ever." C.C. commented.

"Yes, but this time they seem to be following someone else's plan. They only sent two units to try to disrupt the main force. Even if they failed, Cornelia can move right in. Schniezel, is he behind this idea?" Zero said to C.C.

Several aircraft units then came in and surrounded the Gawain.

"These people are in my way." Zero said as he activated the Hadron Cannon and shot down every flying unit.

"I thought the Hadron Cannon was still in development?" Cecile said shocked.

"They made the beams converge…? But I wanted to be the one who perfected that system!" Lloyd screeched out.

"Hmm…looks like integrating the Gefjun Disturber has worked. But that float system is more advanced than mine. So my opponent is the Earl of Pudding I guess. We were collaborating inadvertently. How distasteful." Rakshata said while observing the Gawain's performance from down in the submarine.

"So, are your units still operational?" Zero said as he came down and greeted the two Lancelots.

"Zero, I thought so." Suzaku said.

"It's Zero!" Sawasaki said surprised.

"Is that an open channel?" General Zhao asked.

"Yes, sir."

"Then stay with that source and find out what he is after!" Zhao ordered.

The Gawain then presented an energy filler in each hand.

"Are those energy fillers?" Suzaku said.

"I'm going to take out the enemy command center. What will you two do?"

"Sorry Zero, but you're not going to get your wish. I'm going to hit them first, my way."

The Lancelot and Lancelot Club then put in their new energy filler and the knightmares had all their power back.

"Resume attack and stop them!" Kawasaki commanded.

"I'll take care of these guys! The rest of you guys go on in!" Sai said as he started to fly in the air using the float system and started to go after the Gun-Rus, shooting them down with the assault rifle as Suzaku and Zero headed closer to the command center.

"Zero, shouldn't we be fighting as comrades? Don't you care about Japan?" Sawasaki asked Zero.

"The Black Knights stand against anyone who uses violence unjustly for their own selfish ends." Zero responded.

"Selfish…I'm doing this for Japan!"

"Sawasaki, if this is for Japan, why did you run away to the Chinese Federation? You should have stayed, for everyone's sake."

"You're still a child!"

"So Suzaku, and Lelouch, they're fighting together for once?" Euphemia said to herself.

"So his tactic was to sneak the Gawain in alone to get past the Britannians. That was brilliant." Diethard said as he and the other main members of the Black Knights watched the Gawain on the monitor.

"Maybe but the Guren Mk-II could have acted as a shield for them. After all our battles, to be working with the Lancelots is just…"

Kallen was then interrupted by Diethard.

"What's necessary here isn't victory. The Black Knight's participation in this operation is an undeniable truth. Of course, it won't be officially reported, but rumors will spread and everyone will know what happened here tonight. Like Zero said, this will show the world exactly where we stand. Protecting the nation is our first commitment."

"What's wrong with going to a foreign country for help and then waiting for a chance to strike? That's an effective strategy isn't it." Sawasaki said as he and General Zhao were headed for their escape helicopter.

"We can set up a new line of defense at Kagoshima." Zhao pointed out.

"Right, I appreciate your help."

Sawasaki then headed for a helicopter to escape in but it was destroyed by the hadron cannon before he could get into it.

"Sawasaki…" Suzaku started to say.

"That's far enough." Zero finished saying.

"Impossible, they took the largest fortress in Kyushu with hardly any effort!"

(When Suzaku and Sai returned to the Settlement)

"Warrant Officer Kururugi, reporting for duty." Suzaku said as he presented himself to Euphemia.

"Welcome back home, Suzaku." Euphemia said.

They both then stared at each other warm-heartedly until they both felt a sense of an awkward silence.

"Umm…" Both of them said flustered at first and then both of them giggled.

"Suzaku, I think I finally understand my heart. It's not that I want an ideal country, great justice, or anything complicated like that. I just want to see people smiling. The smiles of the people I love now and those of the ones I loved before as well." Euphemia then handed his badge back to him.

"Will you help me, will you be my knight?"

"I will, your highness." Suzaku said as he placed his hands over Euphemia's.

As Sai, Lloyd and Cecile were exited the Avalon Sai looked over across the garden to see Suzaku standing over by Euphemia and putting his badge back on. He simply smiled over at his friend and continue to walk away.

(Back to Rai's POV)

_"The terrorism in the Kyushu block led by an anti-government terror group was stopped by Princess Cornelia's sudden attack. Atsushi Sawasaki, and four members of the former Japanese government were arrested. Over half of the Chinese Federation troops were captured as well. In response to this incident, Chinese Federation leaders are asserting this as an unauthorized action by Luogong military district commander General Tsao. He is requesting the return of all P.O.W.'s under the article of the Tibet Convention…"_

Rai then turned the television off in the student council room and headed on out to the ghettos. It has been a day since the Black Knights were gone and now that the battle at Kyushu had ended, Zero and the Black Knights returned to the hideout in the ghettos. During the battle at Kyushu, Rai have been thinking about several things and has been waiting patiently to share his thoughts with Zero, who he considered to be the most appropriate person to talk to right now. He also had some things to confirm about Zero. Once Rai arrived at his office he knocked on his door.

"Zero, are you in there? We need to talk." Rai said in an abrupt manner.

"Sure, let yourself in."

When Rai entered he saw that Zero was looking up something on the computer. Zero then turned towards Rai once the door was closed.

"You came at a good time. I was about to call you when you suddenly knocked on the door. There's something important I discovered related to your past." Zero was then interrupted by Rai.

"Well, that's good and all but there's something I need to say first."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Well, the truth of the matter is that…my memories have returned to me. I remember everything that has happened to me."

Zero seemed surprised when he heard that.

"Really…is that so…When did you…"

"It was when I was in those ruins at Kamine…After you and Kallen left."

"I see, at that place, huh?"

Rai then started to tell Zero about past events that had happened in his life. About his family, the good times and the bad times, the death of his family, and what he did afterwards.

"I see…so after the deaths of your family, you became a wanderer traveling across the land helping out whoever you can. I understand now."

And then, Rai decided to tell Zero about E.E. and Geass which greatly surprised him.

"W-What…You have Geass too!?"

"Yes, the power to make others obey my will. The power called Geass. By your tone of voice it seems you already know about its existence."

"Well…I…" Zero started to say.

"Well well, it looks like he has already figured out the source of your miracles Zero." C.C. said from behind Rai. She seemed to have appeared out of nowhere.

"Oh, so it's you…" Rai said as he turned around to face C.C.

"Well, by your tone of voice you don't seem very happy to see me." C.C. calmly said.

"Well it's because of you that I ended up spending the past few months running around like a lost puppy."

"I told you it was going to cost you didn't I? And besides, it wasn't that bad for you. You got to live the life of an ordinary school student as well as getting the chance to fight on equal grounds against a country that owns one-third of the world."

"Even so, if all you wanted me to do was join the Black Knights you could have just asked me right from the start. Did you think I was going to refuse in my current situation back then?"

"No, not at all…I simply wanted to see what a man like you would do when has no clue as to who even himself is. And I must say…you were very entertaining to watch." C.C. said with a smile on her face.

"You're a cruel little girl, you know that?" Rai said harshly.

"Yes, that's why I'm called C.C." She calmly said.

"Then, you knew about him all along and didn't bother to me about it?" Zero asked C.C.

"Even so, I was planning on making you join the Black Knights regardless. At the time, I considered you too dangerous and had to neutralize you so you wouldn't be a threat to Zero. Once I sealed your memories away you were then picked up by that girl named Milly and was placed in the clubhouse where I kept a constant watch over you. I was then going to approach you and invite you into the Black Knights myself but then you started hanging around with Kallen. And since she would eventually find out about your talents I figured Kallen would invite you into the Black Knights herself so I stayed back."

"That was a bold plan you had, even though there are a few holes in it though…" Rai pointed out.

"Even if you didn't join the Black Knights…It would still be to my benefit." C.C. promptly said.

"Rai, thank you for telling me this. I now feel like I've gotten a better understanding about you."

Rai was then about to say something but Zero continued on talking.

"Well, since it's come to this, I feel that I should share the truth about me to you as well. I believe that it's only fair that I do. You're definitely someone I can put my trust into." Zero said as he placed his hand on his mask. He then saw C.C. give a look of uncertainty.

"What's wrong, do you object, C.C.?" Zero asked her.

"…Do as you wish." Was all C.C. would say.

"Yes…I will do as I wish."

Zero then slowly removed his mask and put it down, revealing a face that Rai instantly recognized.

"How about it Rai…Are you surprised? Zero's true identity is me, Lelouch Lamperouge." Lelouch calmly said.

"So, it was you after all…" Rai slowly said unimpressed.

"You already figured me out?" Lelouch asked.

"Well I wasn't sure at first but after my memories returned I slowly put the pieces together."

"I guess I wasn't as sneaky as I thought I was. But you know, it was a pleasant surprise for me to learn that you could also use Geass. I also didn't know that there others who could grant Geass like C.C., but I guess that I should have knew that."

"Then, you also have…"

"Yes, that's right. I can also use Geass."

"I see…So that's where you're so called 'miracles' come from."

As Rai said that, he recalled all those times when Zero had miraculously made the impossible possible.

"The two of you both possess the same kind of Geass. The power of absolute obedience…It's very rare to see two people with the exact same Geass ability." C.C. pointed out.

They don't know which one of them first offered their hand, but Lelouch and Rai then exchanged a strong handshake.

"That was pretty bold of you Rai to tell me about your past and about Geass." Lelouch said.

"Well, I knew that you weren't going to say anything; Especially since you keep secrets hidden from everybody including your friends, subordinates, and even your little sister. So I figured that I had to do it myself and say something."

"Well, that's true." Lelouch admitted.

"I see…You two really are naïve, but this could be interesting as well." C.C. said out loud.

"I'm just wondering about this, but what is a Britannian like you doing fighting against your own country for?" Rai asked.

"Because I bitterly hate Britannia. I won't abide by their rules anymore and I have decided that I'm going destroy the current Britannia and build a new one…one that my sister Nunnally can live happily in." Lelouch proudfully said.

_"I see… well that does sound like him."_ Rai thought to himself

"So Rai, what are you going to do now?" Lelouch asked me.

"Hmm…what do you mean?"

"Now that you have your memories again, what do you plan on doing now? Do you intend to remain in the Black Knights, or..."

"Well, for now I'll just sit back and watch your little showdown with Britannia. If you don't really mind, I would like to continue to be a member of the Black Knights for a little while longer, at least until we liberated Area 11, if that's fine with you all."

"Of course, I'm looking forward to working with the real you. Tell you what, tomorrow I'll send you on a trip to Kyoto to make sure the new supplies are on their way here and to visit your relative living there. While you do that I'll gather all the main members of the Black Knights to have a meeting where I'll tell them everything about your past, excluding everything about Geass naturally. After I explain everything to them, we'll see if they want you to stay or not, but I'm sure they'll want to keep you around so there shouldn't be much fuss about you."

"I see…that will be the game plan then."

"Now, since that is all settled, how about we play a chess match Rai. Last time I checked we were tied up." Lelouch said as he walked over to a table that had a chess board that was already set to go.

"Alright, I guess we can start from where we left off at."

Rai then sat down on the couch while Lelouch slid his chair over to the table. They then played a few rounds until it was past midnight.

"Our score is 4-4. Do you want to go another round." Rai asked.

"No, I'm satisfied with this result for now. You need to get some rest for tomorrow. I'll even let you use my office to rest in tonight."

_"Oh, so now I get special privileges now huh."_ Rai thought to himself.

Lelouch and C.C. then left their office for the night while Rai slept on the sofa in their office. The next morning when Rai woke he saw that Lelouch was on the computer doing something until he noticed that Rai woke up.

"Oh, good morning, I see that you're awake now." Lelouch said as he turned to face Rai.

"…Good morning…" Rai replied back.

"I just finished sending Kyoto a message about your past. They also know that you're coming over for the day to visit your cousin and that you're also seeing to it that those new supplies are coming in."

"I see…I guess I'll get going then." Rai said as he got up and was heading for the door. He was about to exit when he suddenly turned around to say something to Lelouch.

"I have one last thing to say…From now on you can just call me Rai…Rai Sumeragi."

Moving on to the next Stage…


	20. Chapter 20

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 20: A Meeting of Lost Relatives

Kallen was on her way to the lounge to attend a special meeting that Zero has recently called for. Apparently all the main members of the Black Knights were supposed to be there. On her way there she saw Rai heading out for somewhere. Kallen was going to call out to him but since he was so far away from her Rai probably wouldn't have heard her voice unless she screamed out to him. She just watched him until he disappeared from her sight and then Kallen entered the lounge. Once she was inside Kallen noticed that everyone else was already here, even C.C. was here. With Zero sitting in the middle, seated to his right in order were Diethard, Rakshata, Tohdoh and standing by his side were the Four Holy Swords. To Zero's left in order was C.C., Ohgi, and standing nearby were the rest her former resistance cell members. Kallen then walked over and sat down at the end next to Ohgi.

"I see…We're all here now…Good, now we begin." Zero said once he saw that all the main members of the Black Knights were present.

"Zero, if I may ask, what exactly did you call us all here for?" Diethard asked Zero.

"Right, today I have some important news to share with all of you."

"Important news…?" Ohgi said out loud.

"Yes, it appears that one of our most talented members have recently regained his memories." Zero started to say.

_"One of our most talented members regained his memories? Wait…Zero couldn't possibly mean…"_ Kallen thought to herself.

"Wait, you don't mean…" Ohgi started to say.

"After you referring to…" Tohdoh was then interrupted by Zero.

"Yes, I am talking about the boy named Rai, or I should say Rai Sumeragi."

"Sumeragi…?" Most of the main members blurted out in a surprised and confused manner.

"Yes, Rakshata's report has confirmed that. Now Rai has asked me to explain everything about his past to you all so listen to what I'm about to tell you."

Zero then started to tell everyone about Rai's past. Zero told them who Rai's parents were, his father being a Knight of the Round and his mother being none other than Shizuka Sumeragi, a highly respected woman from the former Japan, that he had a sister, and that Rai was from a Britannian Noble's family and from Japanese Royalty, more specifically, the Sumeragi Clan. Zero then started to tell them all everything else that Rai had told him starting with how Rai was like when he was younger to the horrible event where his family was killed and his home, as well as the town, was completely destroyed. He then finished by telling what Rai did afterwards by describing him as a knight who doesn't serve a country, but rather, the people. Of course, while Zero only gave an outline of Rai's past he also censored out everything related to Geass. Once Zero was finished speaking the entire room was in silence until Zero started to speak up again.

"That's about everything that I've learned about Rai and he says that he's quite willing to help us in our quest to retake Japan. So, does anyone have anything to say?" Zero asked them all.

The whole room was silent until Tohdoh stood up and started to say something.

"Please allow me to the first one to say that I always believed the boy to be the rising sun the Japanese are seeking. And now that I know that he's the son of Shizuka Sumeragi, well, my belief in my previous statement is ever stronger now. I also knew his mother. Shizuka was a fine and wise woman. She was always my sparring partner back in the day before she left Japan. Even though it would always end in a draw she probably would have won all those matches if she took it seriously though, I must admit." Tohdoh said.

"Really…She was as good as the Colonel?" Asahina bafflingly questioned.

"Anyways, if the boy wants to cooperate with us, I'm more than willing to work with him. Heh, I never imagined I would get the chance to fight alongside with Shizuka's kid." Tohdoh proudfully said.

"Well if the colonel says it's okay then we also agree then." The rest of the Four Holy Swords said agreeing with Tohdoh.

"Yeah, I agree too. If he wants to help us there's no reason to exclude him." Ohgi said.

"Well I certainly don't mind the boy sticking around with us. There are not many people out there who can operate my knightmares as well as he can." Rakshata was the next one to speak.

"Well if everyone else agrees on this then I will as well. Besides, with someone like him on our side, we can increase the popularity we have with the Elevens as well as establish a healthy relationship with Kyoto." Diethard said.

Everyone was agreeing on Rai staying with the Black Knights.

"And what about you Kallen? What do you think about this?" Zero asked Kallen who seemed to be lost in her thoughts.

"Huh…Well of course I'm okay with Rai staying with us. Why wouldn't I?" Kallen said as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Then it's settled then. Rai will continue to fight with us as the Black Knight's secret force. While on the battlefield he will have special permission from me to act independently from the rest of our fighting force and do whatever he sees fit. Well then, this meeting is finished."

After Zero said that the Black Knights members started to get up and leave the lounge. The only ones remaining were Zero, C.C., and Kallen. Kallen remained seated where she was at while looking down and contemplating something to herself. As Zero was getting up and ready to leave he quickly said something to her before heading back to his office.

"You must be quite surprised to learn who the real Rai is. I myself was quite shocked when he came up and told me."

"Yeah, I…I never would have suspected…Not only was he from Britannian Nobility but from Japanese Royalty too…I never knew…He would turn out to be so special…" Kallen said this all while gazing her eyes towards the ground.

"Just so you know…Rai will be back later tonight to check if the new equipment from Kyoto has arrived. You'll be able to talk with him then."

After saying that Zero went back to his office with C.C. taking a quick look at Kallen before following Zero back into his room.

(Over at Kyoto)

Once he arrived at the main entrance to the Fuji Mountain where Kyoto was, Rai immediately let the guards know who he was so they would let him in. Once they knew who he was they walked by and two of them started to escort him to the main room of Kyoto. Unlike before where he was forced to sneak around and be discreet, he was free to go wherever he felt like now, as long as he didn't come across someone from the Britannian Military. The guards also seemed to look at him with the upmost respect now.

Rai and the two guards then arrived in a large meeting room that was separate from the NAC's meeting room. The room had dim red lights and seemed to have a Japanese like setting to it.

"This is the place sir." One of the guards said.

"I hope you enjoy your visit today." The other one said as the two then headed back to their posts.

Rai then started to slowly walk around the room until he heard a voice call out to him.

"Welcome home oni-chan!"

Rai then turned to where the voice was coming from and saw a young girl jumping right onto him with her arms around him and her face hidden in his chest. Once she pulled her face up to look at him Rai recognized her as Kaguya Sumeragi, apparently his Japanese cousin. After taking a thorough look at her Rai recognized that she was about the same height as his younger sister and she had a face that looked like a younger version of his mother. Kaguya even had the same green eyes and had a hairstyle similar to his mother. Rai then knelt down so he was about the same height as her.

"Wait a minute; did you just call me your big brother?" Rai asked her. The only other person who ever called Rai oni-chan was his now deceased younger sister.

"Well of course I did. Since you're my aunt Shizuka's son that makes us cousins. And since you're older than me I'll just call you oni-chan."

"Oh, is that so?" Rai silently said to himself. It was going to take a while for him to get used to hearing someone else calling him oni-chan now.

"So, how is the Proto-Gekka doing?" Kaguya questioned him.

"Well I'm thankful to be able to pilot a machine like that. It has helped me greatly in all my battles."

"You know, I was the one who ordered that you're frame be painted blue. Even though I didn't know your true identity at the time, I thought it would match with your image."

"…My image?" Rai confusingly said.

"Yeah, you seem to be like the deep blue sea."

"The deep sea, huh…"

"Yes, I've only seen you a few times, but when I look into your blue eyes you seem to give off a sense of calm broad-mindedness and security, just like the sea…"

"I see…well I thank you for the color. I'm quite pleased with the color as well."

"Really, that makes me so happy!" Kaguya said excited to hear Rai's answer.

"Ho, so Shizuka's kid has arrived I see." A new voice called out.

Rai looked over to see an old looking man come into room.

"Taizo Kirihara…" Rai slowly said.

"And you're Rai Sumeragi, Shizuka's son. Please, have a seat and make yourself feel at home."

Rai, Kaguya, and Kirihara then walked over to where a chair and couch was and sat down. Kirihara sat in the chair while Kaguya and Rai sat down by the couch with Kaguya sitting close to Rai.

"So, it looks like the whole family wasn't killed off after all." Kirihara started to say.

"Yeah, I was the only one who came out alive. Of course, Britannia doesn't know about that though."

Rai then started to tell the two of them what really happened the day his family perished.

"I see…so it wasn't just a house that went down…"

"That's right; they destroyed an entire town as well everyone living there so that no witnesses escaped."

Rai then decided to change the subject and started to tell them all the good times he had with his family. Kaguya however only seemed interested in hearing about Rai's mother and sister. It eventually got down to the point to where Rai only talked about his mother.

"Tell me more, tell me more!" Kaguya insisted as she pulled on his uniform.

"Look, I already told you everything I know about my mother." Rai said.

"Well, it's nice to know that Shizuka lived a happy and peaceful life until her unfortunate end. But anyways, putting that aside, there's something else I need to discuss with you Rai." Kirihara said as his voice suddenly sounded more serious.

"And what would that be?" Rai questioned.

"As you probably already know, your mother used to lead us as the head of Kyoto before deciding to quit her duties and leave for Britannia. Now that we know that you, her son, is still alive we would like to appoint you, Rai Sumeragi, as the next head of Kyoto."

"Oh, is that so…?" Rai said in an uninterested tone of voice.

"So, are you going to accept this proposition?" Kirihara asked him.

After a moment of silent Rai finally said…

"I decline…"

"Huh, what do you mean by that?"

"I have no interest in filling a position like that. Sometime after my mother and sister died I came to a realization that having money and power only dulls the mind and body. Such things are worthless to me and I do not desire to have stuff like that anymore." This was Rai's answer.

"Well, that's also fine as well." Kaguya said as if she would agree with anything Rai said.

"But we need a someone like you, who is strong in both body, mind, and soul, to take over right now. Don't you care about saving Japan or are you only interested in serving the Black Knights?"

"You're wrong in both directions there Kirihara. I do not wish to save Japan for Kyoto or the Black Knights but rather, I'm doing this under someone else's orders."

"And who would that be?"

"I'm sorry, but I cannot tell you."

"And why not?"

"Sorry, that's the end of this discussion."

"Urgh…you're just like your mother. Always sticking to your own belief system." Kirihara said as he looked away.

"Kaguya, there's something I want to ask you." Rai said as he looked over at her.

"Yes, what do you need oni-chan?" Kaguya asked with a sincere smile.

"My mother gave your mother a sword before she went to live in Britannia. It was called the Kusanagi Blade. You wouldn't happen to know where it is do you?" Rai asked.

"Kusanagi Blade…Hmm…Oh yes, I know where it is. It was hidden away in the Sumeragi Shrine. I actually just stumbled upon it one day, really."

"Okay then, can you go get the blade for me then?"

"Yes, of course. Anything for you oni-chan!"

"Is that alright with you elder Kirihara?" Rai said as he looked over at him.

"Normally, Kaguya isn't permitted to leave this place. But as long as she's with you it should be alright. Just make sure you bring her back here before dark."

"Sure thing…Come on, we're leaving."

"Yay, we get to go on a trip to the Sumeragi Shrine!"

Rai and Kaguya then left the Kyoto building and headed down a path to the Sumeragi Shrine. As they were walking Rai took noticed that Kaguya, who was walking ahead of him, acted in a very similar way to his younger sister. He then saw that Kaguya suddenly stopped in front of a staircase of steps.

"So, are we almost there yet?" Rai asked.

"No, these steps lead up to the Kururugi Shrine. I wanted to show you this place before we go to the Sumeragi Shrine."

Kaguya then started to head up the steps and Rai decided to follow her. After what seemed like forever to Rai they finally reached the top. In front of them was a small simple shrine with a sign that had the words Kururugi written in Japanese on it. Rai then turned around to see the wide view in front of him. He could see the entire countryside from up there, the green fields lavishing all across the countryside. It was a beautiful sight to see from Rai's point of view.

"You know, when I was younger, I would always come to play here with Suzaku Kururugi."

"Suzaku Kururugi…?"

"Yeah, you know…the one who recently become a Britannian Knight. Although back then, he was a big meanie to everyone, even to me."

"Suzaku, a meanie…?" Rai said as he chuckled to himself. If was funny for him to think that the Suzaku he knew, who he considered was a kind and honest person, was like that back then.

Rai and Kaguya continued to stay up there and look around until Rai suddenly thought it was time to go and started to head down the steps.

"Come on Kaguya, we stayed here long enough."

"Okay, we'll go to the Sumeragi's Shrine next then." Kaguya said as she followed Rai down the steps.

Once they reached the bottom both of them continued down the path until they reached the Sumeragi's Shrine, which was surrounded by trees deep in a forest.

"This is the place." Kaguya said as she opened the door to the shrine and both of them entered.

Unlike the Kururugi Shrine, the Sumeragi Shrine was a little bit taller and wider, even on the insides. Kaguya then walked over to the other side of the room, and while standing in the middle of the wall in front of her at the other end, got down on the floor and pulled up a piece of the floorboard to reveal a storage space beneath it. In this storage space was a sword. Even though it was small, there was enough space in there for the weapon to fit into.

"I see…A fake bottom." Rai mused to himself.

"I was just walking around in here one day when I stumbled upon this spot and discovered it." Kaguya gleefully said.

The girl then pulled out the sheath of the blade and presented it to Rai with both of her hands.

"Here you go, you can have this."

Rai then accepted the weapon and held it in his hands.

"So this is…Kusanagi Blade." Rai said in a quiet tone.

He then went outside and set up some dummy targets. As he was doing that Kaguya sat down on the steps of the shrine nearby to watch what Rai was going to do.

Rai then slowly pulled the Kusanagi Blade out and then immediately after that, he quickly swung the blade horizontally. It not only slashed the dummy target in half very easily, but it also cut the tip of the tall grass nearby as well. Rai then took notice that, unlike most Japanese swords, this weapon seemed to be some kind of combination between a katana and a longsword.

"So, this is what my mother's sword can do…" Rai said as he looked at the blade.

Meanwhile Kaguya was laughing nearby and was clapping her hands for him. She then continued to watch Rai as he continued slashing through more dummy targets as he tried to get used to his new weapon. Once he thought he had perfect control over it Rai looked up to see that the sky was turning orange. Rai then saw that the sun was slowly starting to set over the horizon.

"Okay, that's enough for today. It's time we headed back." Rai called out.

"Ohhh, do we really need to head back now? Can't we stay out here for just a little bit longer?" Kaguya insisted.

"It's going to get dark out here soon. I'm sorry, but we really need to get you back to Kyoto."

"Fine, however…" Kaguya then ran over to Rai and jumped onto his back.

"You're going to have to piggyback me all the way home."

"I'm going to have to what…(Sighes)…Fine, but you better hang on tight then."

Rai then took off in a sprint all the way back to Kyoto while carrying his blade, which was stored back away in its sheath, in his right hand. Once they were back inside the building, Kaguya got off of his back and stood on the floor again.

"That was fun, we need to do that again sometime." Kaguya happily said.

"Yeah, well don't expect me to do that very often." Rai said back.

Rai was then about to leave when Kaguya suddenly stopped him.

"Wait, where are you going?" Kaguya questioned.

"Well, I guess I'll go back and check to see if those supplies are at the hideout."

"Before you go you should at least eat supper with us." Kaguya said as she tugged on Rai's arm sleeve.

"Oh, alright then."

Kaguya then guided Rai to the dining room where he ate with Kaguya, Kirihara and the other four members of Kyoto. They all sat down and then ate all sorts of different Japanese foods. As he ate, Rai took noticed that the food served here tasted much better than what he ate at school or the Black Knights' Hideout. Once they finished eating Rai hung around for a little while longer until he saw that it was almost 11:00.

"It's starting to get late. I really need to get going now. There are still some business I need to take care of." Rai said as he got his things together.

"Goodbye oni-chan. Please come back to visit me again." Kaguya said as she walked over and gave Rai a hug.

"Don't worry, I will whenever time permits me to." Rai said as he let go.

"Next time you should take me out to the Black Knight's Hideout so I can properly introduce myself to Zero-sama."

"Well, we'll see about that."

"Oh, there's one more thing I want to ask you."

"What is it now?" Rai said annoyed.

"Have you ever heard of something called the Sumeragi's Legacy?" Kaguya questioned.

"…Why do you ask that?" Rai sternly said.

"Well one day I was asked by a Britannian solider who wanted to know about it but I told him that I didn't know what it was and said that Aunt Shizuka might now something about it. Did she ever tell you about any such thing?" Kaguya responded.

Rai then stood there for a minute as if he was deciding whether or not to say something but then finally gave her an answer.

"…No, I never heard of any such thing. Sorry…"

"Oh, is that so…" Kaguya said disappointed.

"I really need to be going now."

Rai then waved goodbye to Kaguya while strapping the sheath of his blade on his back and proceeded to exit the building. Once he was outside Rai saw that it was a clear night with the moon shining brightly in the night sky. Rai then went in the underground tunnels and went on his way back to the hideout. When he arrived Rai entered the hanger to see if the supplies came in like they were supposed to.

"Let's see here…Right here are the newly made wrist mounted quad missile launchers for the Burais, and the Raiko seemed to have made it too."

The Raiko, a Japanese made knightmare supplied by Kyoto. It carries a massive coilgun built from four Burais and it can fire a high velocity shell which releases two-dozen steel ball bearings that can tear through most Knightmare Frames with ease. The four Burais are arranged along both sides of the cannon for support, and their heads are attached to a circular disc on the top of the cannon for a 360 degree field of view. In addition to the main cannon, the arm on the open side of each Burai is replaced with a linkable cannon, creating four secondary cannons in case the main cannon fails to destroy the target.

It has been said that the Raiko was first used by the JLF in a hotel jacking at Lake Kawaguchi. The Raiko was able to give the Britannian Military quite a troublesome time until Suzaku came in the Lancelot and destroyed it with ease. Now there's another Raiko, except this time it's going to be used for the Black Knights.

Once Rai finished checking off everything on his list he saw that Kallen was finished doing a battle simulation with her Guren. She then noticed that he was in the hanger and slowly made her way over to where he was standing.

"Um…Hi." Kallen nervously said.

"…Hi." Rai replied back.

"So, how's the condition of the Proto-Gekka?" Kallen asked as she looked over at his knightmare.

"Everything seems to be running smoothly so far and thanks to the supplies brought in by Kyoto today, Rakshata was able to create a more powerful radiate wave surger for it, the same type the Guren Mk II uses."

Kallen and Rai then looked over at the Guren with its five fingered hand and then looked over the Proto-Gekka. It was also now equipped with the same five fingered hand as the Guren, except the Proto-Gekka's hand was red in contrast with the Guren's white hand.

Rai, who had been walking around all day, then walked over to a nearby bench and sat down. Kallen followed after him and took a seat next to him.

"Listen, today Zero told us that your memories have returned. And I've been wondering all day…are you still Rai…or are you…" Kallen slowly said as she looked towards the ground.

"I'm Rai…" Rai replied as he looked straight ahead.

"Huh…" Kallen then turned her head look at Rai.

"Even though my memories have returned my feelings towards everything haven't changed. I'm going to continue in helping with your cause and…I'm still your friend."

Hearing that caused Kallen to form a shocked look on her face at first but it slowly changed into a soft smile.

"I see…"

Rai then looked over at Kallen and smiled back with her…A smile that he has never shown ever since he mother and sister passed away.

"You know, when I first met you, I wasn't really interested in you…" Kallen started to say.

"I didn't really care who you were or your problems with amnesia and just wanted to avoid you. Then I was chosen to be your guide which I wasn't too thrilled with being at that time either. But, as we continued to search around the settlement, looking for something to trigger your memories, I slowly started to learn your thoughts and feelings and started to wonder who you really were. And then one day we went out to the Ghettos and ran into some trouble with terrorists and the military. But you were able to keep the both of us alive by piloting a knightmare. Once I knew that you could fight and pilot knightmares, I instantly wanted you to join the Black Knights. And while it was true that I wanted you to join because of your skills, it was also so I could be myself around you instead of acting like a weak, frail girl. I just…wanted to be closer to you."

Kallen then scooted herself closer to Rai.

"And now that your memories have returned and I know about your past, I feel like I…"

Kallen and Rai then both looked at each other, staring straight into the other person's blue eyes. Their faces slowly started to move closer towards each other until…

"Rai-sama! Can you come over here and help us do maintenance on your Proto-Gekka? We're not too familiar with your frame." A young female black knight soldier cried out from within the hanger.

"We would really appreciate your help Rai-san." A young male black knight soldier voice called out.

Rai then turned away from Kallen and looked out in the hanger to see two Black Knights soldiers standing on top of the handrail by his knightmare.

"Well, I guess I better go over there and help the newcomers." Rai said as he got up and was about to head on over there until he was stopped by Kallen, who also got up and stood right in front of him.

"Before you go there's something you need to know."

"What is it?"

"When I was on Kamine Island I was captured by Suzaku and I told him that you and I were members of the Black Knights. I'm sorry that I blown our cover."

"No, it's fine. It was only a matter of time before he found out the truth about us anyways."

"Anyways, now that Suzaku knows about us maybe you shouldn't go to school for a while. He might try something if he finds you there."

"No, I don't think we need to worry about him. If I know Suzaku like I think I do, he won't try to do anything to us at school. And even if he does try to pull something, I think I will be able to deal with him. I have plenty of tricks up my sleeve as well. Anyways, you guys don't need to worry about me anymore. I'll be able to take care of myself from now on."

"Even if you say that everyone will still be thinking about you. Of course…I will as well…

Kallen then outstretched her fingers and quietly grasped Rai's hands.

"I see…is that so?"

Rai also squeezed back in order to intertwine Kallen's fingertips with his own fingers.

"Hmph…You know, your fingers are soft. People would probably never suspect that they belonged to a terrorist." Rai responded.

Kallen remained silent and both of them just stood there for a while. After that moment of silence Kallen finally spoke up.

"Then, I'll be going now. You have to go help those guys over there. Please take care of yourself…"

"…Alright."

They both then slowly let go of the other person's hands and Rai watched as Kallen left the hanger. Once she was gone he then turned his attention to the guys over by his knightmare.

"Hey, what took you so long?" The male soldier asked as Rai approached them.

"He was too busy making a move on the Ace of the Black Knights. Am I right?" The female soldier said.

Rai however just ignored both of their comments.

"Enough of this pointless jabbering. You're going to spread rumors like that. I usually do the maintenance for my own knightmare. You two just do all the Burais that still need to be checked."

"Yes sir." Both of them said as they gave Rai a salute and then went to do maintenance on the Burai.

Rai then checked the current status of the Proto-Gekka to see that everything was okay with it. He then looked over at the Guren, which was right next to his frame, and did a quick maintenance on it too. Once he was finished checking both knightmares he thought it was time for him to head out. Rai then went back to Ashford Academy and went to his room in the clubhouse to get some rest. As he was putting his things away he suddenly remembered the sword he had been carrying with him and held the weapon in his hands.

"That's right, weapons aren't allowed on school grounds. I'll have to make sure Milly and the others don't see this sword."

Rai then placed the sword in his bag with all his other Black Knights stuff and went to bed.

The next day Rai decided that he was going to attend classes again for once. He put his Ashford uniform on, grabbed his school bag, and then left the clubhouse. As Rai was heading for the school building a voice called out to him in the courtyard. Rai then turned to see who it was and saw that it was…Suzaku.

"Rai…" Suzaku called out.

"…Suzaku." Rai slowly said.

"Can we talk without fighting?" Suzaku asked.

"If that's possible…"

"I know that you and Kallen are members of the Black Knights." Suzaku said.

"And you're the pilot of the Lancelot." Rai retorted back.

"But even so, while we're at school I don't want to think of all of us as enemies. I know that what I'm doing is against military regulations. But, when we're not facing each other on the battlefield, I want the chance to try to persuade you guys."

Rai just stood there and stared at Suzaku in disapproval.

"If you don't mind me asking, why did you join the Black Knights?"

"Because it's the only way to bring change to Area 11."

"Do you really believe that using Zero's methods will really change anything?"

"No, but I don't believe that following the rules of a corrupt country will change anything either. Look, if you think that I'm blindly following Zero like everyone in the Black Knights just because he can make sparkling miracles out of nothing then you're wrong. I'm doing all of this for the sake of two people, and let me give you a hint, one of them isn't Zero."

Suzaku immediately recognized one of the people Rai might be talking about but he couldn't discern who the other might be.

"I always do what I believe is the right thing to do, even if it does look evil in the eyes of others. We all have our own paths that we must follow." Rai said as he turned around.

"Well, even if we are on different paths, I still believe in our friendship and if… if I come face-to-face with you on the battlefield, I won't forget all the times I spent with you every day here at school and in the settlement."

"That's just who you are huh?"

"Yeah, could you convey this to Kallen as well?"

"Sure…"

"You and Kallen probably think that's just wishful thinking on my part, right? But I still don't want to give up."

"…That's just your way, huh?"

"Yeah…"

"Well…You should just follow the path you believe in."

"…Rai."

"I'll also follow the path I believe in as well. If the time should come when our two paths intersect, I'll be happy to shake hands with you at that time." Rai said as he outstretched his arm towards Suzaku.

"I see…I understand. Then I'll keep on believing that time will one day come."

The bell then rang for first period.

"Well, we better head to our classes then. Come on." Suzaku said in his usual kind voice.

"Sure, but you go first."

"Huh…oh, okay."

Suzaku then went on ahead while Rai stood back and thought to himself.

"Even if he does still want to be friends with me, a member of the Black Knights can't be buddy-buddy with a soldier of Britannia. Even I know that."

After thinking this to himself Rai entered the building as well and went to all of his classes. Once classes was finished Rai spent the rest of the day in the student council room while doing various duties for Milly. When it got dark outside Milly decided to call it quits for the day and locked the room while turning the lights out. Everyone seemed to have left the clubhouse as well. Rai was then walking down the hallway when he saw Lelouch unlocking the door to his room. He must have heard Rai coming because he turned his body to where Rai was coming down. Lelouch then had a pleasant look on his face when he confirmed it was Rai.

"Oh hey, it's you." Lelouch calmly said.

"Yeah, it's me." Rai replied back.

"Do you have time to talk right now? There's something I want to tell you."

"Okay."

Lelouch then invited Rai into his room and gave him a chair to sit down on. Lelouch then pulled up a chair for himself and offered a cup of tea to Rai. Sitting on Lelouch's bed was C.C., who was holding on to her plush toy.

"So, what did you want to talk about?" Rai asked casually.

"Right, I've been thinking and I decided that since you told me about yourself, I feel that I should share my past with you as well. It's only fair that I do after all. So let me start by introducing myself again. Not only am I Lelouch Lamperouge and Zero, but I'm also Lelouch vi Britannia, the eleventh prince of the Britannian Empire, at your service." Lelouch then got up and gave a slight bow to Rai.

"So, you're telling me that not only is Zero a Britannian, but a Britannian Prince of the Imperial Family as well?"

"Yes."

"Then what about Nunnally? Who is she?"

"Her real name is Nunnally vi Britannia…The fourth princess of the Imperial Family."

Lelouch then sat back down and started to explain everything to Rai. He talked about the time he spent living in Britannia, how his mother was killed and how his sister became blind and crippled, when him and Nunnally were exiled to Japan as bargaining chips, how after Japan was conquered by Britannia he planned on getting revenge on his father for everything he did to him and his sister, and finally how he met C.C. and became Zero.

"And that's what led to what I became today." Lelouch said as he finished speaking.

"I see…I guess the question I want to ask now is…why tell me all of this?" Rai asked puzzled on why Lelouch would tell him secrets like this.

"Why, you ask…The reason is simple. It's because you and I have similar pasts. We've both lost a lot of precious things that can never be regained. And it's because of that is the reason why you and I can come to a mutual understanding with each other."

"Yeah, I get what you're saying."

The two of them then continued to sip on tea and started to play a few rounds of chess. As they did so Lelouch talked about his time in Britannia, before he was exiled.

"Because it's all childhood memories, I may be glorifying it a bit, but…My mother was a powerful and beautiful person too, just like your mother Rai. Marianne the Flash…While she started out as a commoner, she rode up the ranks quickly and became a Knight of Britannia."

"A commoner became a Knight, and then an empress huh?"

"It's said that even Cornelia has continued to respect and honor her to this day. She would often come over to Aries Palace…When there was that insurgent attack, my mother…my mother put herself in harm's way and protected Nunnally to the very end, showing how exceedingly strong a person she was."

Lelouch narrowed his eyes quietly.

"I see…" Rai said as he continued to sip on his tea.

"I still, if possible, would like to discover who the people who killed my mother were."

"…Haven't the criminals already been found? To leave these insurgents to take care of themselves, isn't that too half-hearted on Britannia's part?"

"…Because there were no so-called insurgents. Where in the world could there possibly be insurgents who could actually infiltrate the imperial family's main residence? I'm sure that it was connected to one of my relatives, or at least people close in the palace…"

And he continued to criticize the Britannian imperial family for a while until he started to bring up his sister Euphemia, who was currently the sub-viceroy of Area 11.

"Euphie would often come over to Aries Villa to play with us. We were from different mothers, but Euphemia was on very good terms with us. She's one of the only members of the Imperial Family that I don't hate. Cornelia, on the other hand, would always be at my mother's side…always. Whenever Cornelia came to meet with my mother, Euphie would always come to play with me and Nunnally…"

Lelouch's eyes grew distant as he recalled something dear to him.

"Hey, Lelouch. I've been listening to you talk and I've been wondering…Would it really be so bad to tell Cornelia and Euphemia that you're still alive?"

"No, Cornelia can't be trusted."

Lelouch suddenly narrowed his eyes.

"And why is that?"

"On the night my mother was attacked, the one in charge of security was Cornelia."

"What does that have to do with it?"

"The day of the attack was the only time Cornelia ever called off the guards on the residence."

"That's why the rebels were able to do the attack. It's obvious that Cornelia has something to do with my mother's murder. Though I don't know whether the connection is direct or indirect…Rai, what do you think?"

After taking a moment to think Rai gave Lelouch his answer.

"Hmm…well I believe she's certainly not unrelated to it. However, I don't think she's directly a part of it."

"What makes you think that?"

"If Cornelia really was the culprit, I think she would fight fair one-on-one, even if it was disadvantageous for her. Many say that she has the personality of a true soldier. And there's also her relationship with your mother to consider. However, she's definitely related somehow, considering how the security was loosened. There's certainly something going on."

"…As I thought, do I have no other choice but to ask Cornelia herself in order to learn the truth…?" Lelouch then smiled boldly at we both knew how he was going to make Cornelia tell the truth.

The two of them then spent a little more time having a casual talk about their past while drinking tea and playing chess against each other. Once they were tied up 6-6, it was Rai this time who wanted to call it quits as he thought it was getting late and it was time for him to go. He then gave Lelouch a firm handshake and went to his room.

Once Rai was gone C.C., who was silent the entire time, began talking to Lelouch.

"Do you really think it was wise to tell him everything?" C.C. questioned Lelouch.

"Unlike everyone else in the Black Knights, he is the only that I consider to be my equal. And now that I told him who I really am, there's no reason for him to doubt me anymore. Besides, he's just like me, which makes it easy for me to read him."

"I do admit that there are several similarities between you two, but I think he's more like Saboro."

"Saboro…who's he?"

C.C. just stared right at Lelouch with her emotionless face before answering.

"Oh, nobody important really." Was all C.C. would say.

The next day Rai was excused from his classes so he could spend most of the day helping Milly and Shirley set up the stands for the School Festival, which was going to be tomorrow. As they were finishing setting up the stands Rai received a call on his phone. He looked on the caller ID to see it was Kallen calling him. Rai then walked a fair distance away from Milly and Shirley before answering it.

"Hello…?" Rai said as he answered the phone.

"Umm…Are you busy right now Rai?" Kallen shyly asked over the phone.

"Well…I'm finishing up some work for student council."

"I see…In that case, can you come over to my house whenever you're done?"

"Huh…your house…what for?"

"I…just want to talk with you…That's all."

"You just want to talk…with me?"

"If you don't want to I understand."

"N-No, that's not what I meant. I'll be there soon, okay?"

"Okay, I'll see you in a while then. Bye."

"Bye." Rai then put his phone away and turned around only to see Milly and Shirley smiling and giggling about something.

"What's so funny?" Rai asked them.

"Oh, nothing really. You can just go on ahead to Kallen's house. We'll have Suzaku help us finish with the rest of the work." Milly casually said.

"Good luck Rai. I'll be supporting you two all the way!" Shirley happily said with a smile on her face.

"Huh…what do you mean by tha…"

Milly then turned Rai around and shoved him forward in the direction of the school gate.

"You better get going. She's waiting just for you." Milly continue to rant on.

"Alright, alright, I'm going…Sheesh…"

Rai then started from a fast-paced walk to a full sprint out of the school ground as he wasn't getting a good feeling from Milly's and Shirley's behavior. As he was walking down the streets of the settlement he went back to a normal walk. After walking down several streets Rai finally arrived at Kallen's house. The Stadtfeld household looked like any other Britannian Noble's house. Rai walked up to the front door and gave a simple knock on it. In a matter of seconds someone came to answer the door. Once the door opened Rai saw Kallen standing in front of the doorway while wearing a violet shirt, white shorts and black socks that went above her thighs. Her hair was also down.

"Please, come in." Kallen said as she stepped aside and allowed Rai to walk in. In all the time that he had known her, he has never been inside Kallen's house before.

"Well here's a shocker. You brought a boy here for once. Is he you're boyfriend?"

Rai then looked over to where the voice was coming from to see a Britannian woman walking down a set of stairs.

"Kallen, who is she?" Rai whispered to Kallen.

"She's my…step-mother." Kallen whispered back to Rai before looking back at the woman she called her step-mother.

"Oh, I see…"

"And no, his just a friend. We're going to be up in my room." Kallen said to the woman she called her step-mother.

"Well, whatever. As long as you two don't have too much 'fun' up there everything should be fine." After saying that the woman disappeared into another room.

Before she was gone Rai took one more look at her and thought…

"If my father saw her he would call her like he calls all Britannian noble women _A Noble Bitch_."

That's what Rai thought since he knew that his father was never into women like that.

Rai then saw Kallen head up a set of stairs and quickly followed after her. Once they got up to the top they headed down a hallway until Kallen stopped in front of the door.

"We'll hang out in my room, okay?" Kallen said as she opened the door.

"Uh…okay."

Rai and Kallen then went into her room and after taking one look Rai stared down at the floor in disapproval.

"What's the matter…Is something wrong?" Kallen cautiously called out.

"No…It's just that…you're room is so messy and unorganized." Rai said as he pointed at all the clothes and other stuff lying across the floor.

"Yeah well, I let the maids do all that work for me." Kallen said as she walked over to a table and sat down on one of the chairs. She then placed two cups of tea on the table, one for her and one for Rai.

"I had maids back then too but my mother always made me clean my room and take care of my things."

Kallen was silent when Rai's mentioned his mother. Once he sat down she started to speak up again.

"Tell me more about your mother. I want to hear all about your family as well as your past. I want to hear it all from you personally."

"Is that why you call me out here?"

"I hope you don't mind sharing." Kallen said as a sheepish smile formed on her face.

"Well, let's see…Where should I begin…" Rai then started to share things about his past with Kallen.

In return Kallen shared past events of her life with Rai. That was what Rai and Kallen did for the rest of the afternoon…Sharing each other's past.

As Kallen was chatting about her brother Rai stood up and walked over to a board on the wall that had two pictures hung up on there. One of them had a younger version of Kallen, her biological mother, and a guy with red hair and looked somewhat like Kallen. The other picture had Kallen, Ohgi, and the same guy from the other photo.

"Hey Kallen, this guy in these photos, is he your…"

"Yes, he's my older brother, Naoto Kozuki."

"I see…You must really miss him, don't you?"

"Yes, I do."

"Do you believe that he might still be alive somewhere?"

"I don't think that's possible. Ohgi and the others said that he got separated from the others and was never found. They believe that the Britannian Military got him."

"But, there's no real proof that he's dead or alive though, right?"

"Well, I just want to believe that…he's happy wherever he is."

"Hmm…And what about your father. When did he leave for the Britannian homeland again?"

"About a week after my brother disappeared. And I never saw my father again ever since either."

"I see…Well isn't that interesting…" Rai mused to himself as he started to think about something.

"Anyways, back to what you saying." Rai then walked over to the table, sat back down and drank some more tea while Kallen went back to talking.

Sometime later the sun slowly started to go down outside. Kallen was then about to invite Rai to stay for supper when he suddenly received a phone call from someone. He looked at the phone and saw that it was Lelouch calling him. Rai then answered the phone to see what he wanted.

"Hello." Rai casually said.

"Hi." Lelouch said over the phone.

"What do you want from me?" Rai asked him.

"I was wondering if you would come eat dinner with Nunnally and me tonight. We would like you to come visit us again. You're not doing anything right now are you?"

"Well, I'm with Kallen right now."

"Oh I see, well, you can bring her too. We won't mind."

"Okay, I'll ask her and then I will be there soon."

"I'll see you shortly then."

"Yeah, see you."

Rai then hung up his phone.

"Who was that, Rai?" Kallen curiously asked him.

"It was Lelouch. He wants me to eat dinner with him and his sister tonight."

"Oh, I see." Kallen said as she looked down in disappointment.

"He says you're free to come as well."

"…I think I'll pass on this one. I don't have anything against his sister, Nunnally, but I think Lelouch is just a lazy, self-centered jerk in my opinion."

"Heh…well, suit yourself. Now if you excuse me." Rai gave a short chuckle to himself as he got up and headed for the door. It was funny to him because even though she didn't know Lelouch was Zero, Kallen admired Zero but dislikes Lelouch.

Before he could get out the door however Kallen spoke out and walked over to him.

"Umm…Rai, before you go, there's something I want to ask you."

"…What is it?" Rai said as he looked at Kallen.

"Tomorrow, during the school festival, would you like to hang out with me during our free time?" After continuously pausing, Kallen managed to get all the words out.

"…Sure." Rai smoothly responded.

Kallen then walked back down to the front door with Rai and said good-bye to him.

"Well, I'll see you tomorrow then, at the school festival." Kallen said with a warm smile on her face.

"Yeah, see you then." Rai then gave her a simple wave of his hand and proceeded to head back to Ashford.

Kallen stood there in the doorway and watch Rai walk away until she couldn't see him anymore. Once he was completely out of her sight, she went back into the house to attend to her own business.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	21. Chapter 21

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 21: A Time of Relaxation

When Rai returned to the clubhouse he stood in front of Lelouch's and Nunnally's door and gave a simply knock on it. Once he confirmed it was okay to come in Rai walked into the room and was greeted by Lelouch and Nunnally.

"Hello there Rai." Nunnallly said in a kindly manner.

"Good evening Rai, where's Kallen?" Lelouch asked him.

"She said she didn't want to come." Rai responded.

"Oh, is that so…" Lelouch said as he sipped on his tea.

Rai then sat down at the table and the three of them ate spaghetti for supper. As they were eating the three talked until Nunnally asked Rai a question.

"Hey Rai, can I ask you something?" Nunnally kindly asked.

"Sure, what is it?" Rai responded.

"Milly and Shirley have been telling me that you and Kallen seem to be getting along quite well with each other. Does she really make you happy?"

Rai then put his fork down and looked away as if he didn't really know how to answer her question.

"…Well, I uh…"

"Yes Rai, go ahead and tell us. You don't have to worry, we won't tell anyone. But then again, you don't have to answer if you don't want to." Lelouch said as he continued to sip on his tea.

"Well, in that case, I'll choose to be remain silent then."

"I'm sorry Rai…I didn't mean to impose on your feelings…" Nunnally apologetically said.

"No, it's fine."

The subject was then dropped and they moved on to talking about the upcoming school festival. Later on, after they finished their conversations and supper, Lelouch and Rai headed off for Lelouch's room and started their own conversation while playing chess against each other.

"There's something I've been wanting to ask you ever since you regain your memories but I keep forgetting to ask you." Lelouch said as he moved his black bishop.

"And what would that be?" Rai solemnly said as he charged his white rook forward.

"Your Geass…is it stable?"

"Is it stable?" Rai confusingly said.

"I guess what I'm trying to say is…have you ever felt like your Geass could go out of control? I'm sure you already know this but, the power of Geass produces an amount of risk equal to its great power."

"Yes, I already know that."

"I once met another person with Geass besides you. That man had reached a state where he could no longer control it and ended up corrupted by his uncontrollable power."

"Geass Runaway, right…?"

"That's right. Regardless of whether he wanted to or not, he would use his Geass ability. Do you know how dangerous that is?"

"Yes, E.E. told me everything I needed to know about Geass."

"By the way, where is E.E. right now anyways?"

"…I'm sorry, but that's not really any of your business. It's something only she and I can know."

"Oh I see, then I won't ask again but…can you at least tell me what she is like?"

"Well, in case you don't already know these individuals who grant people Geass tend to keep their true identity hidden from others. But…I guess if you want a description of her E.E. acts like any other human being. She can be kind, mean, helpful, and very secure of what she considers her things. E.E. isn't as alienated like C.C. is."

"Heh…it sounds like you have a pretty trustworthy ally, unlike that one over there." Lelouch said as he glanced over at C.C. who was sleeping on his bed at the moment with her back facing him.

"But you don't have to worry about me. Unlike you, I don't use my Geass unless I have to. Just because I have this power I always keep the factor of Geass out of my planning strategies. If anyone has to watch out for their Geass going out of control it would be you, Lelouch."

"Hmph, I don't think my Geass will be going out of control any time soon." Lelouch sharply responded as he brushed Rai's words away.

After they finished their chessmatch the score was 8-8 but Lelouch and Rai thought it was time to call it quits.

"Well, I better get going. It's getting late and I have to work the early shifts for the school festival tomorrow. I'll see you later Lelouch."

"Yeah, later."

Rai then left Lelouch's room and headed back for his own to get some sleep before tomorrow.

The next day several fireworks went off on Ashford's school grounds signaling the start of the school festival.

"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for waiting! The Ashford Academy school festival, which is the most open event in the Tokyo Settlement, is about to start! It will begin at the sound of this voice!" Milly said on the loudspeaker.

She then handed the microphone over to Nunnally.

"Are you sure it's alright to do this Milly?" Nunnally hesitantly asked Milly.

"Very sure." Milly said reassured.

Nina then put the microphone up to Nunnally, who quickly breathed before shouting into the microphone.

"Meow…!"

Nunnally meowed into the microphone which was heard all across campus. This resulted in all the students cheering.

Rai spent most of the early part of the festival working with Suzaku getting the ingredients for the twelve meter pizza. The two didn't really say much to each other and just focused on their work, although Rai kept his eyes on Suzaku just in case. Once the ingredients were all lined up they put up the knightmare frame, Ganymede, which will be used to help make such a large pizza. Once they were finished setting everything up Rai was finally given a break so he started to wander around the school grounds looking for a certain red haired girl. After searching for a short while a voice suddenly called out to him.

"Rai, over here."

He turned his head to see who it was and saw Kallen giving him a small wave with her hand. Since Rai and Kallen spent most the early part of the festival working, they were both given some time off at coincidencely the same time and decided to spend some time going around the festival together.

"So, where do you want to go?" Kallen asked as Rai approached.

"Huh…you want me to decide?"

"I'll go wherever you want to go. It doesn't matter to me."

Rai then quickly glanced around and saw that, at the auditorium, in addition to the plays and the like that was advertising its special event, and earnest debates were also being performed by the students. One of them became of interest to Rai.

"The next performance is Zero's existence, and his merits and demerits…It seems to be a debate. How about it, Kallen? Do you want to go take a look?"

"Okay…But it'll probably just line up a string of criticisms anyway."

Since it attracted their interest, Rai and Kallen promptly entered the auditorium where the event was being held and sat down in some open seats. During the debate, the participants were divided into those for and against Zero as they conducted their analysis and demonstration, while the outcome of the argument was decided by a judge at the end. It was often decided just before the start of the debate that's for and against it, so both groups needed the necessary research and materials to refute either side of the argument. The comments of the pro-group made a few exaggerations and misunderstandings, but they seemed to have done some good research although it sounded something similar to what Diethard would say.

"Did Diethard possibly leak some information to them?" Kallen whispered to Rai.

"Impossible…There's no way he'd do such a thing."

_"But then again…"_ Rai thought to himself.

On the other hand, the comments of the students in the con-group were quite superficial, with just a haters going to hate attitude, yet that was the one that was closest to the audience's own opinions. The discussion soon turned to the topic of Zero's sworn male friend who piloted the red Knightmare. Kallen's expression changed in an instant upon hearing that.

"Wait a minute…Since when did I become a man…?" Kallen's voice was starting to get much harsher but Rai silenced her before she could blow her cover to anyone.

"Heh…maybe Diethard leaked out that information too." Rai said as he smirked to himself.

"I'm definitely going to ask him about this later!"

In the end, the side against Zero won the debate.

"The outcome wasn't very convincing, but I wonder if our actions were transmitted a little to the students…?" Kallen said after the event was finished.

Once the debate was finished, a play was being about to be held in the auditorium. Unlike the debate, there were far fewer people in the audience who were going to be watching the performance. Rai and Kallen weren't very interested in watching the play either and were about to leave when they were stopped by Milly and Nina.

"Ah, so the two of you were in here?" Milly said as she approached them.

"We were looking for you two." Nina said

"Oh, is it work for the executive committee? We'll go right away."

"Never mind, I was going to ask you two to do it, but its fine now that I think about. We'll be able to manage somehow or another for the time being."

"Is that really alright, Milly?" Nina said to Milly.

"Don't worry; we'll just have to use Lelouch and Rivalz to an inch of their lives. Besides, wouldn't it be bad to interrupt their long-awaited date?" Milly said with a cheerful smile.

"Ah…That's…true…" Nina shyly said.

"Wait a minute…The two of us aren't really…" Kallen was then interrupted by Milly.

"I said it's fine. Don't finish that sentence. This Milly already knows everything." Milly said as she pointed her finger at herself.

Kallen just looked down with an embarrassed look on her face when Milly said that.

"I'll call for you if we're really in a pinch. Until then, you two just enjoy yourselves."

"T-Thank you for this Milly." Kallen nervously said to Milly.

"Rai, make sure you escort her well." Milly demanded.

"Sure thing, you can count on me." Rai said as he gave Milly a salute.

"Well then, I'll see you two later."

"Have fun." Nina said as she and Milly headed for the back of the auditorium to start up the play.

Afterwards Rai and Kallen headed back outside and went to the festival booths.

Stalls by every class were lined up in the garden all the way from the school gate to the front of the school building.

"Everyone seems to have thought up various diverse ideas for this…" Kallen commented as she looked at the booths that were available.

There were a lot of stalls serving food and drinks, but there were also games like human whack-a-mole and ring toss, many of which seemed interesting. As they were walking down several of the different stalls Kallen suddenly stopped and tugged on Rai's sleeve.

"Hey, how about that one?" Kallen said as she pointed at a curry stall. The sign on it said "Eat All The Super Spicy Curry On Your Plate For Free Eating Challenge."

"Umm, could it be you want me to try it?"

"Since you're the boy here, aren't you supposed to look reliable in this kind of situation?"

"…W-Well, I'll do it then!"

In order to live up to Kallen's expectations, Rai went over to the curry stand to try the super spicy curry challenge.

"I'll take one plate of super spicy curry." Rai said to the stands man.

"Are you sure? You do know that this is the Track and Field club's special deluxe spice of sweat and youth, which was prepared at home with things mixed into it to the point of being unnecessary?" The male student behind the stand said as he warned Rai.

"Yeah…I'll give it a shot." Rai confidently said.

"Good luck Rai." Kallen said wishing Rai good luck.

The curry the male student took out was clearly from the one set out for the regular customers, and had a unique shade of red.

"Th-This is…" Rai said as he looked down at the plate full of curry.

The student behind the stall whispered into Rai's ear as he instinctively back away.

"Did you think we'd just let you look cool in front of Kallen? Rai…you lose!" The male student and two other guys behind the stand then start to snicker.

_"Oh no, because of everything I have been doing recently, with work for Student Council, the work for the Black Knights, and with my memories returned I completely forgotten about the popularity that, Kallen Stadtfeld, had at this school and her many admirers. But, even if it's like this…No, it was because it's like this that I won't back down."_

Rai then picked up a spoon and started to quickly stuff the curry into his mouth and down his throat. In a matter of minutes the short but intense battle was finally over…Rai had won.

"Whew…I did it…" Rai said with a sigh of relief.

"No way…we lost…" The three boys in the back then looked down in disappointment.

"Incredible, you actually ate it all. But you got a little bit of sauce on your mouth there. Here, a handkerchief."

Kallen then took out her handkerchief and wiped off the sauce that was on Rai's face. This made the eyes of all the male students, not only behind the stand but close by as well, to give Rai a cold stare.

Then all of a sudden sweat started to come down Rai's face, and it wasn't because of all the male student's glaring either. His mouth was starting to burn from all that curry he just ate and Rai felt like his mouth was on fire. He then quickly got up and started to run towards the other end of the stalls.

"Rai, where are you going?" Kallen called out to him.

"To get something to drink!" Rai yelled as he frantically ran to a water stand on the other end of the stalls.

Kallen just smiled and followed after him. Once she found him Rai was standing in front of a stall that was giving out free water.

"Give me two waters, please…" Rai pleaded to the students standing behind the stand as he was sweating like crazy from the curry he ate.

"Sure, here you go." A student said as she handed Rai two water bottles.

Rai then opened one of the them and chugged the whole bottle down in one go. Rai then gave a sigh of relief as the cold water was able to cool him down. He then threw the empty bottle in a nearby trash can while carrying the other water bottle with him.

"So, are you feeling better now?" Kallen asked as she approached him.

"Yeah, I'm much better now after a drink of water."

"So, shall we continue to look around the stalls?" Kallen suggested.

"Sure, as long as you don't make me eat anymore hot foods." Rai jokingly said.

"Heh…alright." Kallen said closed her eyes, put her hand over her mouth, and giggled at Rai.

Afterwards the two of them then walked around the stalls again until Kallen suddenly stopped by a nearby stall.

"Oh look, they have crepes here as well…"

"Ah, Kallen…Please eat one of these!" A female student from the crepe stall called out to Kallen.

"It's the authentic style of crepes passed down by the crepe sellers that serve them at the stalls in the settlement's park!" The male student standing by the female student said.

"Do you one, Rai?" Kallen said as she looked at Rai.

"N-No, I think I'll pass on this one…" Rai said as he started to drink from the other water bottle.

"Are you sure? I'll just buy some for myself then." Kallen then walked over to the stand to buy some crepes.

"Thank you for your patronage." The female student said.

"Here, just for you, I'll give you a discount Kallen." The male student said.

"Thank you." Kallen said thanking the two behind the stalls.

Rai and Kallen then headed for the courtyard and sat down at the edge of a flower bed. Once they were seated Kallen began to eat her crepes, which Rai noticed that they must have been quite good from the way she stuffed them into her mouth.

"Those crepes must be really good. Do you like them?" Rai asked her.

"Yes! In the past, I would get my mother to buy them for me at the festival stalls…"

As she said that, Kallen's expression seem to become a bit downcast. She was likely remembering her mother.

"Yeah, I used to go to festivals similar to this one back on the Britannian homeland with my mother and sister. But, it's better to keep eating them, so it doesn't cool off." Rai said breaking the silence.

"Yeah, you're right."

Kallen pulled herself together and started to stuff more crepes down her mouth once again.

"However, if you keep eating like that, your cover will be exposed to everyone…" Rai said as he looked down and closed his eyes.

"Ah…That's true…"

Kallen then started to act more lady-like and put the crepe in her mouth in a more elegant manner this time. Once she was finished eating there was cream from the crepe sticking out on her cheek. Rai moved his finger and wiped the cream off her cheek.

"Ah…Don't do that!" Kallen screamed out as her face turned red from embarrassment and pushed Rai down from his seat.

"I'm sorry…I didn't mean to surprise you like that.." Rai apologetically said as he got back up.

"No, it's nothing, I just…" Kallen said as she closed her eyes and formed a flustered look on her face. Rai couldn't tell if she was trying to stop herself from smiling or not.

(Outside Rai's POV)

"I'm really sorry for this but there is something I want to talk to Suzaku about." Euphemia said as she walked down the stalls on Ashford Academy's school grounds with Sai and a few other guards. She was wearing a disguise so nobody would recognize her.

"No, it's fine. When Suzaku isn't around to be with you it becomes my duty to watch over you for him."

"You know Sai, you're free to go join the other Britannian soldiers and play the games they have set up at this festival."

"Please don't goad me with such things. My duties as a Britannian soldier comes before anything else."

Before Euphemia could comment back to him she was suddenly stopped by a maid who prevented her from almost walking into a girl in a wheelchair.

"Oh, I'm so sorry. Are you alright." Euphemia said to the girl in the wheelchair.

"I'm fine. Are you okay?" The girl in the wheelchair questioned back.

"Huh…Nunnally…?" Euphemia gasped as she noticed her younger sister Nunnally.

"Hey…that voice…is it you Euphie…?"

(Back to Rai's POV)

After Rai tossed his other empty water bottle away and Kallen threw the wrapper of her crepes in the trash can they both decided to check out the stuff inside the school next. Once inside the two noticed that inside the school was bustling with a variety of different student projects that were being held inside the classrooms. After walking down the hall a little bit further Kallen suddenly screamed out.

"Ah, look over there…" Kallen cried out as she pulled on Rai's sleeve and dragged him over to the door with a sign in front of it that said Haunted House.

"Huh…Do you like those kinds of things?" Rai asked her.

"No, that's not it. I was helping them there earlier today since they didn't have enough helpers."

"Heh…I wish I could have seen it. The sight of you as a monster." Rai said as he chuckled to himself.

"Ehhh…!" Kallen shrieked at him in disapproval.

"So, should we go in?" Rai suggested.

"Now that I think about it I wonder if we should." Kallen started to doubt now.

It seemed the Haunted House was quite prosperous, based on the numerous people that came in and out as we watched.

"Well, no point in standing here. You dragged me over here, so we might as well go in."

"Okay, but don't expect me to get scared and grab onto you for protection or anything like that." Kallen said reassuring to herself.

"Heh…now why would I think that?" Rai jokingly said.

Rai and Kallen then walked into the Haunted House entrance. Once inside they began walking down the path before them. They saw all kinds of different monsters and dark, creepy backgrounds. None of them didn't really scare or intimidate Rai and Kallen though. Once they got towards the end however, as they were passing by, a student colored in purple suddenly jumped out from underneath a tombstone. This must have surprised Kallen who screamed out, grabbed Rai's arm, and quickly dragged him out of the haunted house, which was ironic because Kallen was working as the monster under the tombstone earlier in the festival.

As they both exited the haunted house, both of them stopped in the middle of the hallway while trying to catch their breath, with Kallen still attached to Rai's left arm.

"You know, we're not in there anymore Kallen. You can let go of me now."

"Huh…Oh, uh, right."

Kallen then realized where the two of them were and quickly let go of his arm while looking away from him in embarrassment.

"And I thought you said you weren't going to be scared." Rai said as he started to mess with her.

"S-Shut up, I wasn't scared. I was just…Oh look, a painting exhibition." Kallen said as she went inside a classroom holding a painting exhibition, dropping the previous matter.

Rai then just sighed to himself and followed after her.

When they entered Rai and Kallen noticed that the number of people inside the classroom were sparse. It was like a bubble of peace and quiet inside compared to the hustle and bustle of the school festival. Paintings and sculptures were all lined up inside, but as expected, they were all done in Britannian-style. Many of the works had a flashy quality and structure to them along with showy colors. As they looked around Kallen stopped in front of a particular painting. It depicted a single red flower. The background was completely white, with the flower displayed distinctly. Its title was "Spring will surely come". According to the explanatory note, this was the work of an Honorary Britannia, or in other words, a Japanese person.

"Hey, look at this painting…" Kallen said as she moved back a few steps while gazing at the painting. Rai moved to where Kallen stood and also gazed at it from the same position.

"What does it look like to you…?" Kallen asked him.

The red flower floated harmoniously in the clear white background.

"Oh, I get it…"

It was expressing the flag of Japan. If that was what the author intended when he drew this, then the title and the meaning of this painting could suddenly be understood.

"A disguise, huh…The true intention of this painting lies behind the disguise that one should continue to resist with all one's might. It's the same as me…" Kallen said.

"You know, the flower is blooming." Rai pointed out.

"Huh…"

"Spring will surely come. The flower is blooming in this painting. We will make it bloom. Isn't that right…?"

"Yeah…"

Nestling their bodies close to each other, Rai and Kallen left the classroom and continued on down the hallway back outside.

"So, are you enjoying yourself?" Kallen sincerely asked him as they both walked around randomly across the school grounds.

"Well yes, of course. Aren't you…?" Rai asked her.

"Y-Yes, I did in fact." Kallen then paused before speaking again.

"Say, since we enjoyed going to this festival, how about you and I go to the Blue Moon Festival together next week. If you want to that is…" Kallen said as he cheeks turned red.

Before Rai could answer however Milly made an announcement on the loud speaker.

"This is a message from student council. May Kallen Stadtfeld please come to the executive committee's headquarters immediately."

"Ah, it's an urgent summons for me…It's too bad, but it looks like I have to go. Sorry about this…" Kallen apologetically said.

"No, it's fine." Rai reassured.

"I'll see you later then." Kallen said as she scurried off, leaving Rai all by himself.

From on top of the school building, C.C., who disguised herself by wearing an Ashford school uniform, began talking out loud to herself while looking down at Rai.

"I wonder…will Rai be able to cross the boundaries of Geass and achieve true happiness, one that only a true king can enjoy? How about you E.E., what do you think…Yeah, my thoughts exactly."

Rai then started to wonder what he was going to do until there was another broadcast, this time by Rivalz.

"Very soon it's going to begin! The making of the world's largest pizza!"

The special event of the school, the making of the giant pizza, seemed to be starting over at the giant oven they had installed on the school grounds. Rai was about to head over there until Shirley walked up to him.

"Hey Rai, have you seen Lelouch? He seemed to have ditched his work and I can't find him anywhere."

"No, I haven't seen him."

"Then, can you help me look for him then?" Shirley kindly asked.

"Sure, I don't have anything else to do right now."

Rai and Shirley then started to search around the school grounds together looking for Lelouch. After a short search they found Lelouch sitting on top of a set of stairs that was nearby the giant oven where the pizza was currently being made. There was a huge crowd standing in front of the stage.

"Now then, it's finally time to begin! The making of the world's largest pizza!" Rivalz yelled into the microphone.

Piloting the Knightmare Ganymede, Suzaku began to spin the dough quite skillfully. It was quite an impressive thing to see. To be able to control a Knightmare to nimbly spin a giant pizza and then spread it out takes incredible skill. That was the pilot of the Lancelot, and who had piled bitter experiences onto the Black Knights many times over. At the same time, he was a fellow student of Ashford Academy, who Rai exchanged words with, and laughed with…The ever gentle and honest member of the student council.

"What does Lelouch think he's doing…Hitting on some flirty girl instead of doing his work?" Rai's thoughts were suddenly disrupted by Shirley.

Rai then looked up at Lelouch to see that sitting next to him was a girl about the same age as him with long pink hair. She was wearing casual Britannian clothing as well as red sunglasses and a hat. Right next to her was Nunnally, who was sitting in her wheelchair.

Shirley was about to stomp her way over to Lelouch when a sudden breeze blew by and blown the hat off the pink-haired girl's head.

"Hey wait, is that Princess Euphemia?" Shirley said out loud which caught the attention of every student nearby.

"Huh, really? Where, where!?"

"Euphemia came here!?"

"Unbelievable, she came in secret!?"

The surroundings suddenly began to stir. The students were all talking about how Euphemia was here. Everyone then started running over to where she was at once, knocking Rai down and running over him in the process, with people's shoes stepping all over him.

"Lelouch, take Nunnally away!" Euphemia said to Lelouch.

"Sorry to leave you at a time like this." Lelouch apologetically said as he took Nunnally away and they hid behind an unoccupied stand.

"Everyone, stop…Don't run…Please don't panic!" Suzaku yelled out from the knightmare.

But as he did so the Ganymede lost its grip on the pizza dough and it went flying straight on top of a tree. Meanwhile, on the rooftop, C.C. gasped as she saw the humongous pizza dough land on top of a tree.

"…Pizza…" C.C. said solemnly.

Back on the school grounds Euphemia's guards appeared and protected her from the panic caused by the students. They even had to shoot their guns in the air to stop everyone from moving closer, of course, they didn't hit anyone.

"Everyone, stop this foolish behavior at once! Do you all realize that you are in the presence of the sub-viceroy?" Sai said to everyone as he and some guards prevented them from moving in.

The news reporter then knocked him down and barged right in while moving past the other guards trying to get Princess Euphemia to talk to them. This allowed everyone else to come charging in.

"Ugh, this is getting tight!" Cecile cried out.

"Damn it, get back everyone!" Sai yelled out.

"Please everyone, step away from me!" Euphemia pleaded.

It was all on the verge of a panic until Suzaku came in with the Ganymede to rescue Euphemia, thereby preventing the worst possible outcome.

"Princess Euphemia, you're not hurt are you?" Suzaku asked.

"I'm fine, thank you Suzaku." Euphemia replied back.

She then looked down to see that Lelouch and Nunnally were safely hidden behind an empty stall.

"Can you please network this broadcast nationwide?" Euphemia asked the newscaster down below.

They then did exactly as Euphemia asked and everyone began to watch as Euphemia made her big announcement to everyone in Area 11.

"I have a very important announcement to make. I am Princess Euphemia, sub-viceroy of Area 11 of the Holy Britannian Empire. There is something I wish to tell you all today. I, Euphemia li Britannia, do hereby declare the formation of the special administrated zone of Japan in the area around Mt. Fuji."

"What…Britannia has…?" Lelouch was shocked.

"They're recognizing…Japan?" Suzaku slowly said.

"Within the specially administrated zone of Japan Elevens will be permitted to call themselves Japanese. Restrictions against Elevens and special rights for Britannians will not exist within the zone of Japan. It will be a place where Elevens and Britannianns will live as equals. Do you hear me Zero? I don't care about your past or who you are underneath that mask. I beg you, join us in creating the special zone of Japan. Zero, help me build a new future within Britannia. A place for everyone!"

Euphemia then received cheers from everyone within the crowd.

Afterwards Euphemia's declaration invoked an uproar throughout all Area 11 and even as far as Britannia itself. The school festival ended in the midst of confusion and mayhem. Rai then spent the next few days helping the student council members clean up the aftermath of the school festival.

Afterwards, a few days before the ceremony of the Special Administrative Zone of Japan Rai headed out to Black Knights Hideout to see if there was anything he could do there. Upon arriving at the hideout Rai looked around in the hanger to see the Four Holy Swords gathered around their Gekkas. It was then that he formed an idea. He then walked over to them and greeted each the four members.

"Hello, there's a favor I would like to ask the four of you." Rai said as he approached the Four Holy Swords.

"Oh, well if it isn't Rai Sumeragi." Urabe pleasantly said as he saw the silver hair boy approach.

"What do you need from us?" Chiba sternly asked.

"I would like to request a knightmare battle with you in the knightmare simulator. Just because Euphemia is promoting a Japan Special Zone we still need to be at our best for the worst possible outcome." Rai explained.

"Heh…he has a point." Asahina said with a grin as he agreed with Rai.

"So, which one of us do you wish to have a bout with?" Senba questioned him.

"All four of you." Rai calmly said.

"All four of us…what bravery." Chiba said praising Rai's bold challenge.

"Ha, I think Sumeragi's son is getting too confident in himself, but none the less, we will gladly accept."

After Senba said that, the Four Holy Swords each went to their Gekkas and started up the knightmare simulator. Rai also went to the Proto-Gekka and started up the simulator. Before he was ready to practice however he quickly changed the Proto-Gekka's armaments by removing the radiation surger in favor for a standard Gekka manipulator hand. Both of his knightmare's hand was equipped with a Revolving Blade Sword and a handgun.

"Hmm…if I remember correctly, those Lancelots dual wield swords as well." Rai silently said to himself as the simulator screen appeared on his monitor.

The battle location was an open field in the middle an abandoned ghetto.

As Rai approached the battle location he saw the four Gekkas all lined up in single file.

"We'll fight you one at a time if that's okay with you." Chiba said over the communicator.

"Sure." Rai calmly replied.

The Gekka in front of the others than approached the Proto-Gekka.

"I'll be your first opponent." Urabe said as his face appeared on the monitor.

"Okay then." Rai replied back.

"You know, I've wanted to have a bout with you ever since I saw your knightmare battle records. This should be good.

"Yeah, right back at you. I've been wanting to see how the Four Holy Swords fight as well."

"Then let's not hold anything back then."

"Keep this fair and no holding back…Very well then."

After Urabe's face disappeared on the monitor the two Gekkas charged straight at each other and clashed swords with each other. After a tight struggle with each other both machines jumped back, seeing that neither one was going to give in. After getting a fair distance away from the Proto-Gekka Urabe began firing with the handgun on his knightmare's left hand. Rai moved his knightmare away from the handgun's attack and once his was a fair distance away from the handgun's range he began shooting his own handgun on his right arm, forcing Urabe to quit shooting and move. Seeing this as his opening, Rai charged the Proto-Gekka straight forward at Urabe's Gekka and swung the Revolving Blade Sword on his right hand vertically downward. Urabe barely got his sword in time and blocked Rai's sword, although he could sense the pressure being pressed on him. After building enough pressure on his enemy's frame, Rai quickly shifted his sword to a horizontal strike and knocked the enemy back, completely crushing Urabe's guard and leaving him wide open.

"Now." Rai said as he moved over and stabbed the base of Urabe's Gekka with the Revolving Blade Sword equipped on the Proto-Gekka's left hand.

This caused a small explosion on Urabe's frame and smoke started to flow out from where Rai stabbed the frame.

"Gah…He got me!" Urabe said as he looked at the damage Rai caused to his frame.

"So, ready for more?" Rai said as he prepared both swords in his hands.

"No, that's it for me. You've defeated me. It was a good fight though. Hey, the rest of you of you guys need to watch out for this one. The battle records on this one are definitely true." After saying that Urabe moved his Gekka over to the sidelines so he could watch the rest of the matches.

"So, who's next?" Rai questioned.

"I'll be your next opponent!" Chiba yelled as the second Gekka in line furiously charged forward and swung its Revolving Blade Sword horizontally at the Proto-Gekka. The swing was so powerful that even though Rai blocked it with both of his swords his frame still went flying backwards. He then saw that Chiba began firing at him with the handgun so he shot his slash harken at Chiba's Gekka to stop her from shooting and move. This then gave Rai enough time to get his frame's momentum back in order and reorganize himself. He then looked around the battlefield to see where his opponent went and saw Chiba's Gekka coming after him from his left side. Chiba then swung her Gekka's sword at the Proto-Gekka but Rai blocked it at the last second with the sword on his left hand. After another tight struggle Chiba decided to back off and retreat but as she was doing that the Proto-Gekka moved its right leg up and kicked the Revolving Blade Sword out of her hand. Rai then swung the Revolving Blade Sword equipped to his right hand horizontally and sliced through the torso of the frame, causing a small explosion in the process.

"Ah, so he defeated me as well?!" Chiba yelled out.

She then surrendered and moved to stand by Urabe's Gekka.

"Alright, I'm your next opponent!" Senba said as his Gekka moved forward.

"Hmph." Rai muttered to himself.

"I never would have imagined that I would be crossing swords with Sumeragi's son. Show me what you can do!" Senba said challenging Rai.

"Very well, I'll show you exactly what I can do." Rai said as both of the Gekkas charged at each other.

The two then swung their blades at each other but Senba was able to easily ward Rai's sword away and proceeded to prepare a stab with the tip of his blade. Although he was caught off guard, Rai quickly recompose himself and made the Proto-Gekka jump over his opponent's knightmare so he could dodge the stab. After Rai landed he prepared the Revolving Blade Sword in his left hand and spun around while swinging the sword horizontally but Senba turned around and stopped Rai's attack with his own sword.

"You got some moves there boy." Senba complimented.

"Thanks." Rai said accepting his opponents praise.

"But it's going to take more than that to defeat me."

"In that case…"

Rai then applied more power to his sword and forced Senba's sword to hit the ground. He then made the Proto-Gekka kick Senba's Gekka backwards with the frames left foot. While Senba tried to reorganize his frame Rai charged forward and stroked with the sword in his right hand and swung diagonally downwards on Senba's frame, leaving what looked like a huge scar across the frame.

"Damn, I've been defeated by someone as young as you? Oh well, it was a good fight none the less."

After praising Rai's skills once again, Senba moved his frame over to Urabe's and Chiba's frame.

"And that just leaves one more left." Rai said as he looked over at Asahina's frame.

Asahina's Gekka then came forward, with its sword and handgun ready to use.

"Wow, I'm surprised you were able to get this. But I'm okay with that because now I finally get to fight you."

"Okay, but I'm going all out this time, Asahina."

"Sounds good to me!" Asahina said as he fired the handgun at the Proto-Gekka.

The Proto-Gekka then dodged the bullets by moving aside and then tried to move closer to Asahina's Gekka, all while still dodging the handgun's attacks. When the Proto-Gekka was close enough Asahina stopped using the handgun and both Gekkas began swinging their swords repeating, with Rai switching swords with each strike while Asahina used the single sword he had. After swinging blades at each other about ten times Rai swung the sword in his right hand diagonally upward and knocked the sword out of Asahina's hand. Asahina then quickly tried to get his handgun ready to use but Rai sliced the handgun as well as the rest of the arm off with the sword equipped to his left hand. With no other options left Asahina fired the single slash harken he had but the Proto-Gekka jumped over the attack, and while coming back down, swung both of its swords downward and sliced both of Asahina's arms completely off.

"Damn, this kid doesn't mess around!" Asahina yelled out.

The Proto-Gekka then kicked his frame down with its right foot and Asahina could do nothing but watch as his Gekka came falling down backwards onto the ground. Rai then finished his foe off by stabbing his sword down onto the abdomen, causing the whole frame to explode into nothingness seconds later.

"Well, looks like I won."

Just as Rai thought it was over, out of the corner of his eyes, he saw a slash harken flying straight towards his frame and jumped away from the unexpected attack. Rai then looked to see who it was and saw the slash harken retreat to the hilt of a sword. Rai then saw a black Gekka charged straight at him and gave his knightmare a body check backwards.

"Tohdoh, you're here too?" Rai said as he got his frame back in order.

"I came to the hanger and noticed that you all were holding a battle royale on the knightmare simulator. It seems you were able to defeat all of my subordinates. I congratulate you on that achievement. Now, I will be your opponent!"

"Very well then…" Rai said as both knightmares prepared their swords.

Rai then charged forward while Tohdoh began firing with the handgun. The bullets from Tohdoh's handgun came firing out rapidly and gave Rai a hard time of closing and eventually forced him to move over to the side. Tohdoh eventually stop shooting the handgun and charged to Rai's location. Rai then noticed Tohdoh's Gekka coming at him and decided he was going to be the first to strike so he pulled the Revolving Blade Sword out and attempted to strike the opponent first. Tohdoh responded by blocking the attack with his Brake Sword, a sword more powerful than the Revolving Blade Sword. Tohdoh then used the thrusters of the Brake Sword to move not only his weapon by the frame as well aside and attempted to strike the Proto-Gekka with a vertical strike. Rai then tried to block the Brake Sword's attack by blocking with both of his Revolving Blade Swords by Tohdoh's weapon broke right through and sliced both swords in half. The Brake Sword then came back down and sliced right through the Proto-Gekka, detaching the right arm, leg, and body in the process. The Proto-Gekka then came down and exploded in defeat.

"…I lost…looks like there's more I have to learn." Was all Rai manage to say.

Once the simulation was finished; Rai, Tohdoh, and the Four Holy Swords met up in the hanger. After receiving praise on his excellent knightmare piloting skills from the Four Holy Swords, Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords left for the Black Knights Command Center.

Rai then wondered what he was going to do next when he saw Kallen enter the hanger. She then saw him and walked over to where he was standing.

"Hey, what are you doing in here?" Kallen casually asked Rai.

"Me, I'm just getting some knightmare training in. I just went up against the Four Holy Swords a little while ago."

"So, how did you compare against them?"

"I managed to defeat them all but then Tohdoh came in and crushed me."

"Is that so…"

"Hey, how we go up against each other." Rai suggested.

"Huh…you want to fight me in knightmare combat?"

"Sure, if that's alright with you."

"Y-Yeah, I'll fight you. I'll show you exactly why I'm the Ace of the Black Knights!"

Rai and Kallen then ran over to their knightmares and started up the simulation. Rai unequipped the manipulator on his left arm and returned the original radiation surger that was previously there before. Once inside the arena Rai's Proto-Gekka came forward to greet Kallen's Guren Mk-II.

"Now don't think I'll go easy on you." Kallen confidently said as she prepared the Guren's Radiation Surger and fork knife.

"Heh…I wouldn't want it any other way." Rai said as he got the Proto-Gekka's Radiation Surger and Revolving Blade Sword out.

As soon as the two were finished talking to each other Kallen immediately charged the Guren forward and attempted to grab the Proto-Gekka with the radiation surger. Rai however moved his frame away and kept his distance from the Guren Mk-II.

_"Hmm…let's see…the Guren Mk-II is a close range type knightmare, with almost no long range attacks. And its main weapon, the radiation surger, is pretty much instant kill to any enemy knightmare. That means I should attack from a distance until I find an opening, and that's when I'll finish her off with my sword or my own radiation surger."_

After thinking to himself while formulating a plan, Rai went into action. While still keeping a fair distance away from the Guren, the Proto-Gekka shot at the red knightmare with its handgun. The Guren however was easily able to slide by the bullets as it closed the gap between them. Rai then tried to fire the slash harken but the Guren Mk-II simply knocked it away with its fork knife and tried to grab the Proto-Gekka with the radiation surger. The Proto-Gekka was barely able to avoid being grabbed.

"Well so much for trying to avoid close combat." Rai said as he drew his sword out and swung at the Guren.

"You're going to have to do better than that! So me what you can really do Rai!" Kallen yelled as she block Rai's sword with the fork knife.

The two were then in a deadlock until both of them finally decided to back off. The two frames then came back out at each other and continued to try to land a blow on the other, whether it be trying to use the fork knife, sword, radiation surger, and just plain punches and kicking. The two even clashed with their radiation surgers, canceling each other out in the process. About thirty minutes of their intense fight, as the Guren and Gekka were about to separate from clashing their knife and sword against each other, Kallen quickly made the Guren lift its left leg up, spun around, and kicked the sword out of the Proto-Gekka's hand. After turning back around the Guren tried grabbing the Proto-Gekka's frame once again. With no other options left, Rai also attempted to grab the Guren with the Proto-Gekka's left hand. However, it was Kallen who managed to succeed first and after she grabbed the base of the Proto-Gekka's frame, she used the radiation wave to its fullest strength. Rai's knightmare was then fried to a crisp and exploded after taking too much internal damage. The words "YOU LOSE" then appeared in big, red, bold letters across Rai's monitor.

"Yeah, I know…I lost…" Rai muttered to himself.

"Alright, I won…I defeated Rai and his knightmare!" Kallen cheerfully said as she congratulated herself.

"Man, she's acting as if she just beat the world's best knightmare pilot or something." Rai said as he placed his hand over his head in shame.

Once the simulation was over Rai and Kallen got out of their knightmares and met each other in front of the Guren Mk II.

"Looks like I beat you this time."

"Yeah…"

"What's the matter…is something wrong?" Kallen's said in a concerned tone of voice.

"No, I'm just tired is all. I've been doing knightmare simulations all evening, fighting the best knightmare pilots the Black Knights have to offer. I think I'm going to relax in the lounge if you don't mind."

"Do you want some water to drink Rai?"

"Yes, and thank you."

After saying that Rai headed for the lounge while Kallen went to go find some water. Once Kallen got her hands on two bottles of water, one for Rai and one for herself, she quickly made her way over to the trailer.

"Rai, I got some water for the both of us and…huh…?"

When Kallen entered the lounge she saw that Rai was asleep, with his head slouched down while he was sitting on the sofa.

"He must have been working really hard today." Kallen thought to herself.

She then placed the two water bottles on the coffee table and sat down right next him. Once she was seated Kallen looked over at the silver haired boy and saw that he was sleeping peacefully. She then started to yawn and suddenly felt tired as well. Kallen then looked down at his left hand and placed her right hand on top of his left. She then rested her head on top of his left shoulder and soon fell asleep as well, with the whole hideout falling into complete silence.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	22. Chapter 22

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 22: For His Sister

(Midnight: Narita)

It was a quiet and peaceful night in the city of Narita, a city that was unintentionally flooded by a mudslide a several weeks ago by the Black Knights. The city has since recovered and regained its former sentiment. Unbeknownst to the Britannians and Elevens lays a hidden research facility underneath the city. This special facility spends its time doing research and studies related to the mysterious power called Geass.

As he was walking through the front entrance V.V., an immortal who looks no older than a ten year old, was greeted by man in a black battle suit which covered his entire body and a black leather mask over his head. The only human part visible was his eyes. V.V. walked over to the masked man who was seated on what looked like a black stained throne.

"Hello…V.V." A deep, dark voice called out.

"Oh, hello there…I didn't expect to see you here. I thought you were already dead." V.V. amusingly said.

"Hmph…did you really think I could be killed off that easily?" The masked figure said as he hunched over and clasped his hands together as he chatted with V.V.

"No, but according to C.C., she said that you blew yourself up with your own weapon."

"Ah, yes, it was thanks to this that I was able to come back from the dead." The masked man then tightens a fist with his left hand as a red bird like sigil glowed brightly on the back of his leather glove.

"Oh, so you possess a Code now don't you? Who did you steal that from?"

"After my apparent demise, the code I ripped off of X.X. activated and I awakened back in his thought elevator in Antarctica. I then used the helicopter that I so thoughtfully prepared and flew back to Britannia, did some business there and then came here."

"Oh, so X.X. is dead now? Nobody told me about that. No wonder I couldn't contact him."

"X.X. has already been dead for two years. The fool never saw it coming to him."

"Is it really okay to call him a fool? I mean after all, he was your accomplice."

"Oh please, we were never anything beyond a normal business partnership, nothing more."

"I shall miss X.X., anyways, putting that aside, I'm assuming you're here to find the Sumeragi's Legacy, right?"

"No, I already sent a pawn out to look for it. Although, I don't really expect him to find it."

"Huh, and why is that?"

"Like I said, he's just a pawn. Unless he somehow figures out how to open the thought elevator on Kamine Island and drag E.E. out of there he will never find it. Anyways, whether he finds the Sumeragi's Legacy or not is of little importance to me. That's not the real reason why he's here."

"Oh, is that so…"

"You see, unbeknownst to all, as well as he himself, his real purpose is to test the limits of the Sumeragi's."

"Why them in particular?"

"Well, I was watching the Imperial Family before but after a while I lost interest in them. And don't take this the wrong way, I don't have anything ill against you or Charles, but the Imperial Family is just full of incompetent brats. They are all just so annoying to be around with. Schniezel, Lelouch, and Maribelle might have some hope, but the rest are as good as dead. Hopefully someone will come along and wipe them all out someday. Anyways, after I was through with them I decided to start afresh with a royal family of a different country and came across the Sumeragi, who is said to boast incredible intelligence and aren't as absent-minded as the Imperial Family of Britannia. You see, they are actually serious about the things they try to accomplish."

"And you think sending a Britannian pawn is good enough to test them."

"For now anyways, but who knows, maybe if that pawn tries hard enough to get across the board maybe, just maybe, he can become a better piece for me in the future." The masked man said as he held a golden queen chess piece in his hand.

He then placed the piece back on the board that was in front of him. There were golden chess pieces on one side and blue chess pieces on the other side.

"The Sumeragi are doing quite well so far considering they lost a lot pieces in such a few short years."

The golden side had all of its pieces lined up on its side of the board while the blue side only had the blue queen, a representation of E.E., and the blue knight, which represented Rai.

"But enough about that, I just told you too much about this. The real reason why I'm down here in your little facility is because I just finished that new machine, the Knight Giga Fortress.

The masked man then got up and guided V.V. over to a humongous machine. It was larger than any knightmare, including the Gawain.

"I see, it looks perfect. You have my thanks for all your hard work."

"Oh, I didn't really do anything. I just got those lazy workers of yours going since they weren't doing anything else important. Anyways, we need to get some data on the prototype, Siegfried, so we can get to work on the next Knight Giga Fortress, Frederick."

"Oh yeah, and about that other thing…"

"Don't worry, I got Project: Orange done as well."

As soon as he said that a man with a turquoise hair color walked forward from the shadows. His left eye seemed to have been modified by cyber engineering.

"I give you my thanks for reviving me. After my humiliating defeat at the Narita Mountains I was on the verge of death when you came and brought me down here. Not only did you bring me back with cybernetics but gave me a Geass Canceller and the Siegfried as well. Now I, Jeremiah Gottwald, can exact my revenge on Zero, or maybe I should say Lelouch, once and for all."

"Remember, you can't do anything to him until after the SAZ is ruined." The masked man said.

"And why would it fail?" V.V. said with an evil grin on his face.

"Well it's pretty obvious that Princess Euphemia's little special zone is doomed to fail. You can't offer peace and expect everyone to go along with it, especially if it involves Britannia. The way I see it, Zero will probably do something to get all the Elevens to resent Euphemia just so he can have his little war he so desperately desires. And even if he doesn't do anything and the SAZ succeeds just give it about six months and the nobles and military will no doubtfully retort to some violent action towards Euphemia and the Elevens."

"That's probably the most reasonable way to think about it." V.V. said in agreement.

"Anyways, my business here is finished. If you would excuse me, there's someone back at the Britannian homeland that I need to speak to."

"Oh, leaving so soon?"

"Well, now that I have the Code now, I need to reorganize all of my plans. For my original plan to work I still needed my Geass, but I didn't plan on my nephew pulling a fast one and killing me with his Geass. And with E.E. on Kamine Island we can't use the Thought Elevator there either."

"Yeah, that's kind of troublesome for me too. With E.E. in there she cut off access to the Thought Elevator on Kamine Island and now none of the Immortals can use it. I can't even step foot on Kamine Island without her knowing about it."

"She's a very dangerous one, isn't she?"

"Even I don't want to mess with her. Out of the eight of us who owns a code she would be the third most dangerous. She knows more about the Codes than the rest of us."

"But that's also what makes her that much more desirable. But right now it's best to leave her alone. Anyways, this talk is over."

And with the masked man left the underground facility. Once he reached the surface he was on top of the Narita Mountains where a helicopter was present. He then got into the helicopter and left Area 11, heading for the Britannian Homeland.

(Black Knights lounge)

The next morning as Rai woke up he turned to his side to see Kallen leaning her head on his shoulder. At first he was shocked and surprised but quickly recomposed himself. Rai then stood up and quietly placed Kallen down on the sofa without waking her up. After that he took off his Black Knights jacket and wrapped the jacket around Kallen since she was currently wearing her former resistance cell outfit. Rai then picked up the two unopened water bottles and headed for the kitchen. Once there he placed the water bottles in the refrigerator and started to make some tea. As he was making tea in the kitchen he suddenly felt the presence of another individual and turned around to see C.C. staring at him.

"Is there something you need from me?" Rai asked her as he turned back around and continue making his tea.

"I just want to ask you one question."

"And that is…?"

"I'm just wondering, which is more important to you, your contract to E.E. or your promise to Kallen about saving Japan?"

"Why do you ask such thing? They're both of equal importance to me."

"Oh really, and do you think E.E. will be satisfied with that?"

"As long as I keep doing what I been doing there is nothing for her to complain about."

After hearing that C.C. simply smiled to herself.

"Is there anything else you need to say to me?" Rai continued on.

"E.E. told me…She told me that she is proud of you...She also said that you might be the one who does it…"

Rai then turned around to face C.C. but noticed that she was gone without a trace. He then pretended that she was never there to begin with and poured out two cups of the tea he has just made. Rai then started to make his way back to the lounge.

Meanwhile in the lounge Kallen was slowly starting to wake up. She sat back up on the couch and started to rub her eyes as she tried to wake herself up. She then looked around the room wondering where Rai went until she suddenly saw him walking in from the kitchen while carrying two cups of tea. Kallen noticed that Rai was only wearing his black knights pants and a dark blue t-shirt. She then noticed that his jacket was neatly wrapped around herself.

"Good morning…Kallen." Rai said as he approached her.

"…Oh, good morning." Kallen replied.

"I made some tea for both of us, although it's probably not the best but…"

"It doesn't matter, it's the thought that counts. Thank you, Rai." Kallen said as Rai handed her a cup of tea.

Rai then sat down right next to her and started to drink his own tea. They both had a short conversation as they sat there together.

"Somehow, it feels strange to have finally gotten to this point." Kallen started to speak first.

"Hmm…What do you mean by that?" Rai replied.

"Before, we were just a scattered resistance group…but then, we met Zero and transformed into something this big…And then we met you as well…

"Me…? I didn't do anything special."

"That's not true. You changed everyone here just like Zero."

"Is that really so…?"

"There's no doubt about it. I mean, I've changed as well. Since meeting you, I…"

She then stopped midsentence before continuing on.

"Let's continue to be our best together from now on as well." Kallen cheerfully said.

"Yeah…Together…" When Rai said that however his eyes seemed to show some sign of sadness. He quickly closed his eyes however before Kallen looked at him and placed his cup of tea on the coffee table. He then stood up and headed for the door.

"Are you going somewhere?" Kallen asked him.

"Yeah, I just remembered that Lelouch needed to talk to me about something."

"Huh, again…You've been hanging around with Lelouch a lot recently. Why is that?" Kallen suspiciously asked Rai.

"Well…it's because Lelouch asked me for help on this big project he's currently working on. But recently a problem came up and he's not really sure on how to fix it so Lelouch has been asking me for help with it."

"Oh, is that so…" Kallen said as she looked down in disappointment.

"Why, does that make you jealous?" Rai said as he opened the door which caused Kallen to form a flustered look on her face.

"Huh, N-No, not at all…If fact, why don't you just go already!" Kallen said as she pointed her finger out the door.

"Hmph…Whatever." Rai then walked out and closed the door behind him.

Even though Kallen said that to him, those weren't the exactly words she wanted to say. She then looked back down and continued to slowly drink her tea, sitting there all alone in the lounge.

(At the site of the Special Administrative Zone of Japan)

While standing in the main hull of the G1 Base, Princess Euphemia and Suzaku watched as the number of Elevens joining the Special Administrative Zone of Japan increased.

"Over 200,000 people have applied to join the Japan special zone. The way things look, that number is just going to grow." Suzaku said as he looked down from the G1 Base.

"Thanks to you…Suzaku." Euphemia said to him.

"Huh…?"

"Because of what you represent to the Japanese people, everyone is rallying, they believe in what we are doing."

"No, you give me too much credit. It must be due to your proclamation Princess. I'm truly thankful for that. I really am…"

"Just as I'm thankful to you…And I hope that you'll help me with everything that's still to come."

"Yes, your…" Suzaku was then quickly stopped by Euphemia.

"Not like that!"

"Yes." Suzaku said in a more casual way.

(Up in a secret room hidden in the Fuji Mountain)

"The Japan Special Zone…It doesn't sound like a bad plan." One of Kyoto's members said.

"A shadow of Japan that is given to us out of pity is worthless." Another member disagreed.

"We were granted this concession by the Britannians as a result of our resistance activities. It's nothing to be ashamed of." Kirihara regretfully said.

"Lord Kirihara, I heard a rumor that you will be given a favored position in the special zone in exchange for the Sakuradite mining rights."

"Don't be suspicious. It's mearly a request to join the ceremony."

"That's a clever excuse."

"How dare you!"

"What about Zero, Rai, and the rest of the Black Knights?" Kaguya asked but none of them gave her a response.

(Meanwhile, in the Black Knights Hideout)

"The situation is serious! It's not just supporters. Some of the members of our own rank have already left to apply to the special zone." Tohdoh worriedly said to in the lounge of the Black Knight's meeting room. All the main members seemed to be present besides Zero, C.C., and Rai.

"Unlike the Black Knights, there's no risk in joining the Japan special zone." Diethard said.

"Besides, when you compare the pedigreed princess with the mysterious unknown man behind the masked it's obvious which one is more appealing." Rakshata said comparing them."

"There's a rumor that Kyoto is cooperating with them too." Minami pointed out.

"What's up with that?" Tamaki shouted out.

"They're offering equality, that's why." Sugiyama said.

"Equality my ass…Don't just accept their word for it!" Kallen yelled out.

"I agree. But unless we decide how to respond to this quickly…" Asahina said from behind.

"Listen, if it works like Euphemia proposal then it wouldn't be wrong for the Black Knights to support it right?" Ohgi suggested.

"Yeah sure, like the Britannians would honor a promise." Tamaki said in disagreement.

"I think we should support the special zone. It doesn't contradict what Zero said does it? Ohgi said confidently.

"But Ohgi…" Kallen started to say.

"First of all, if we accept peace on their term we'll be forced to disarm." Chiba said.

"That is a problem, isn't it?" Rakshata said agreeing while messing with her pipe.

"We would also get swallowed up in their regime and lose our independence." Tohdoh said.

"On the other hand, if we don't support it we become the enemies of freedom and equality." Diethard said.

"Then let's support it!" Ohgi quickly said.

"What, without any guarantees in place?" Diethard said surprised by Ohgi's quick response.

"But we can't ignore it either!" Ohgi said determined.

(Downtown in the Settlement)

"_The Special Administrative Zone of Japan is its first attempt of its kind in Britannia and was personally proposed by her highness, Princess Euphemia. It cannot be dismissed that this novel idea is connect to the princess from her school years. The NAC, led by Kirihara Industry, gives there wholehearted support to the plan."_ The newscaster said as she finished her report on the latest information on the Japan special zone. Lelouch looked up at the screen in disgust as he stared specifically at the image of Princess Euphemia on the giant television monitor. Once the report was finished Rai and Lelouch continued to walk down the street until they saw a Britannian Noble beating up an Eleven with his cane.

"I don't care about your special zone! I don't care about support! I'd sooner die that sign that!"

"And there's a perfect example of what will happen even if the special zone succeeds." Rai calmly said to Lelouch.

"You think you're equal to us now? The lower classes should just obey their betters without any back talk!"

"There it is. That's the true nature of the sub-viceroy's benevolence." Lelouch said as he approached the noble.

"What do you want?"

"Doesn't it feel good to look down on others from above; it is rather like being a god."

"Hold it schoolboy, just back off." The noble's guard said as he placed his hand on Lelouch's shoulder.

"I think you should go home right now." Lelouch said as he looked into the guard's eye with his Geass activated.

"Yeah, okay I will. Well, I better get going then." The guard said as he started to walk away.

"Huh…What did you say to him? Come back here at once!"

"What's wrong Sir Nobleman? Confusing borrowed power with your own ability is a big mistake you know. Garbage like you should simply die and be thrown out where no…Ugh…" Lelouch then felt a sharp pain in his left eye.

"Huh…what are you…?"

"Go away!" Lelouch ordered.

"Hmph…Fine." The noble said as he walked away too.

"Umm…thank you very much sir." The Eleven boy said as he got back up and then gave Lelouch a short bow.

"Oh, it was nothing." Lelouch replied back.

After the Eleven boy left Rai walked up to Lelouch.

"You know, I think you're a little too care free about using your Geass." Rai said as he gave Lelouch a warning.

"Don't worry about it. I know what I'm doing." Lelouch responded as he continues to walk back down the street.

"Yeah, let's just hope your Geass doesn't become the end of us all…" Rai said even though Lelouch couldn't hear him.

Later that evening Lelouch and Rai ended up in Lelouch's room and had one final chat with each other with C.C. sitting on Lelouch's bed as usual.

"So, tomorrow is the SAZ."

"Yeah…"

"So, do you have any last ideas you wish to share with me about how to deal with this situation?"

"Nope, I have no clue what to do here but…I'll respect whatever decision you choose none-the-less. Knowing you, you're just going to do what I think you're planning to do to Euphemia."

"I have no choice but to use it."

"There is one thing I will share with you. And that I already dealt with something similar to this in the past."

"Oh, you did?"

"About a year ago I was helping a resistance group in Area 12 with freeing some Twelve's from being used as slaves. There was a little fight that happened and then Princess Maribelle came stopped the fighting. I'm pretty sure you know her right?"

"Yes, I remember Maribelle. Even though I could always beat her in chess she was good at the game regardless. She's also happens to be Schneizel's favorite sibling."

"Well anyways, Maribelle came in and forced a ceasefire to begin discussing peace terms. She then offered a deal with the Twelves that was suitable for both them and the Britannians. After that resistance activities disappeared in Area 12 and the numbers living there gained some rights such as being paid for all their hard work they do."

"So, she resolved it peacefully then?"

"Yeah but, even though she solved the case peacefully and the Twelves have some rights they are still constantly being treated as trash by the Britannians. In the end, nothing really changed. Life pretty much continues to go on the same there. I don't like to think about that place because, even though I won the battle, I still lost to Maribelle, who believed she was helping everyone out."

"I see…"

After that Lelouch and Rai made plans for how Lelouch's plan was going to work out tomorrow. Lelouch then brought up an important subject.

"Rai, there's an important question I wish to asked you." Lelouch said as he placed the cup of tea he was drinking out of onto the table in front of him.

"And what would that be?" Rai said as Lelouch picked up his suitcase and pulled his Zero mask out.

"I was wondering…If something was to ever happen to me, could you become Zero for me?" Lelouch said as he presented the Zero mask to Rai.

"What are you saying?" Rai questioned back to him.

"I'm saying that, if something was to happen to me…for example, if I was killed, captured, or forced to leave, would you become Zero and led the Black Knights in my place?"

"What, do you plan to give in to Princess Euphemia now?"

"No, I plan to fight Britannia to the very end. But I can't lead the Black Knights forever. I need a suitable replacement once I decide to leave and since Suzaku refuses to cooperate with me you are the only other person that I trust and know could do the job."

Rai just sat there and didn't say anything as he looked down.

"So, what do you say?" Lelouch asked him again.

"…I have to get going. If you need anything from me I'll be at the hideout."

After saying that Rai silently walked out the door and didn't say any more. Once Rai was gone C.C. started to speak out.

"In all honesty, he could do just as well a job being Zero as you Lelouch."

"Yes, I know. And there might come a time where I benefit from him being Zero."

The next morning, in the Black Knights hanger, after the members got everything ready to go and went into their knightmares, Zero approached Rai.

"I'm going on the Gawain to meet Euphemia. Rai, I want you to come with me."

"I understand."

Rai already knew the reasoning behind this. It wouldn't be a bad idea to have two Geass users available just in case something went wrong.

"We'll also be prepared and be in position nearby just in case, but still…" Kallen said as she walked over and then grasped Rai's right hand.

"Please be careful, okay Rai?" Kallen softly said.

"Yeah…I will." Rai said as he smiled back at her.

After Kallen let go of his hand Rai entered the cockpit of the Gawain along with Zero and C.C. inside.

(At the SAZ)

"_We're bringing you live coverage from the stadium for the inaugural ceremony for the specially administrated zone of Japan. The stadium is already packed full with Eleven…Sorry, I mean…with Japanese. Many Japanese who could not get inside are gathered outside."_

"_Do you think Zero will show up here?"_

"_No, and we heard nothing about it at this time."_

All around the world, everyone was watching as this newscast was being broadcasted live around the world.

(Chinese Federation: Executive Conference Chamber)

"Will Zero even show up?" A man known as Li Xingke said in a serious tone of voice as he rested his arms on the table.

"I seriously doubt it." A Chinese Committee member said as he and the rest sitting at the table snickered to themselves.

(E.U.: Central Council Chamber)

"What do you think?"

"If the data we obtained on the man is accurate then I don't think he will appear."

(E.U. W-O Knightmare Hanger)

"Hmmm…I wonder…Will this really bring peace to the Japanese?" A blond haired girl called Leila Malkal said out loud as she watched the television set in the hanger.

"I don't really know." A Knightmare researcher known as Anna Clement responded.

"What about you back there…Akito Hyuga?" Leila said as she turned around and looked at a young Japanese man with blue hair.

The guy named Akito just sat there on top of a box and just looked away while sharpening his katana blade. He didn't respond to Leila's question and just continued to look at his katana uninterested in watching the Japan special zone ceremony broadcast.

(Area 12: Government Bureau)

While sitting in the main hall of the viceroy's government bureau Princess Maribelle and Oldrin watched as the ceremony was about to begin.

"Princess Euphemia really is something else, to be able to create something like this." Oldrin exclaimed.

"Yes, she always favored peaceful solutions over those that cause violence. Now, I wonder if they are going to show and try to ruin it." Maribelle said as she looked at the monitor.

"You mean that terrorist Zero?" Oldrin questioned.

"Yeah, him…I'm really interested in what Zero will do about all of this." Maribelle said as a smile formed on her face.

(Area 18: An Abandoned Warehouse currently being used by members of Peace Mark)

"Well well, what do you think of this Orpheus?" A guy known as Ze Dien asked Orpheus Zevon.

"I could care less about this so-called Special Zone. Anyways, it has nothing to do with me." The boy named Orpheus said as he walked out of the warehouse.

(Back at the Special Administrative Zone of Japan)

As the ceremony was about to begin Euphemia looked over at the empty chair next to her, the seat meant for Zero, and looked down in disappointment.

"Princess Euphemia…It's time." General Darlton said.

"Right."

Princess Euphemia was then about to start the ceremony when she saw the Gawain coming into the stadium. Its appearance seemed to have surprised everyone. And standing on the left shoulder of the knightmare was Zero himself, with Rai and C.C. piloting it from inside.

"Oh, he came after all!" Euphemia said happy to see Zero arriving.

"You accepted that you lost." Darlton said to himself with a smirk on his face.

"Zero, welcome to the special administrated zone of Japan!" Euphemia said with her arms open.

"Greetings, Princess Euphemia li Britannia! I wish to request an audience with you!" Zero asked.

"Just with me?"

"Yes, with you alone!"

"_Something major has happened, ladies and gentlemen! Zero has boldly appeared! Under Princess Euphemia's directions, he is moving towards the G1 Base!"_

(On Avalon)

"I'm afraid something is going to happen. We should have gone there like I thought." Cecile said worriedly.

"What choice did we have? Everyone said that if Lancelot was there waiting, Zero wouldn't show. Besides, we've already token precaution and placed one of my untested prototypes in the G1 Base just in case something does happen."

(Back at the SAZ)

"It appeared to be safe your highness."A guard said after checking the Gawain for any traps.

"Then this way please." Euphemia said as she started to head for the G1 Base but was suddenly stopped by Suzaku.

"Princess Euphemia, it's too dangerous to be alone with this man! As your knight, I request that you allow me to accompany you to safety." Suzaku insisted.

"No, it's alright. Please, just trust me Suzaku."

Euphemia and Zero then headed inside the G1 Base together.

(On the outskirt of the Settlement)

"Come on, how long are we supposed to hang around here?" Tamaki said bored.

"What, was it not enough for you that Zero instructed us to wait here?" Kallen said.

"Yeah, whatever…"

"Well, first of all, we have to confirm Britannian's real intentions." Ohgi bluntly said.

"Deputy Commander?" Tohdoh said to Ohgi.

"Huh…yes?"

"Zero knows what their real intentions are, isn't that why he told all of us to hide and stand by at all four corners?

"A risky assumption."

"He's even got Diethard and Rakshata on standby. Zero is probably planning to assassinate Euphemia."

(Inside the G1 Base)

"You're taking a lot of care, aren't you? Even though the cameras are all off?"

"I've been in hiding for a long time due to a certain empire I'm afraid." Zero said as he pulled out a gun.

"This is a needle gun made from ceramic and bamboo. It can't be picked up on a metal detector."

"Lelouch, you would never shoot me, would you?"

"No, I would never do that. You'll be doing the shooting, Euphie."

"Huh…?"

(Outside G1 Base)

"Is it really all right, leaving her alone with Zero?" One of the guards outside asked.

"But she ordered us to!"

"Well, she can always press the emergency call button."

Suzaku then looked over at the Gawain to see Rai come out of the cockpit.

"So, you came as well…Rai…"

"Yeah…"

"Zero and Princess Euphemia…If something should happen…" Suzaku said as he placed his right hand on the hilt of his sword.

"I know…if something happens, you won't hold back…I won't go easy on you either though." Rai said as he also placed his right hand on the hilt of his blade which was strapped to his back.

"Yeah…However, I think that's only an if though." Suzaku said as he took his hand off the hilt.

"Huh…What do you mean by that?" Rai said as also moved his hand back in front of him.

"From now on, we might be able to walk the same path together. Don't you think?"

"When our two paths intersect…You mean you believe that time has come?"

"Yes, that time. If that happens, let's shake hands right away."

"I would like that too…however…"

Suzaku then looked up at the Gawain. Almost as if she was collapsing out of the cockpit, C.C. descended to the ground, with her hand over her left eye.

(Back in G1 Base)

"This ceremony is being broadcast globally and the world is going to witness you, a Britannian princess, shoot Zero. What do you think will happen next?"

"Rioting will break out, I imagine."

"Right, Zero will become a martyr, tricked into a deathtrap and instantly your popularity will crash to Earth."

"What kind of nonsense are you saying? You should just help me rebuild Japan…"

"If you force it upon us from up high then you're just as bad as Clovis was! All tasks at hand have been cleared. After hovering towards death, Zero will be met with cheers when he makes a miraculous recovery. Because people don't give a damn about reason but nobody can resist miracles. Now, take the gun." Zero said as he offered Euphemia the gun.

"Huh…?"

"There can only be one messiah and once the people realize you're a false one they'll…Ugh…" Lelouch then got down on his knee and held his hand over his left eye.

(Outside G1 Base)

"You…You're…" Suzaku started to say.

"C.C., what's wrong?" Rai said as he and Suzaku ran over to C.C.'s side.

"No…He's reached that point?"

Staggering, C.C. crouched on the ground while seizing her left eye.

"Hey, what's wrong…!?" Suzaku said as he touched her shoulder in order to help her up.

As soon as he touched her though several shocks of electricity went through his head and he collapsed backwards onto the ground.

"Hey. C.C., what wrong here? Why is Suzaku laying on the ground?" Rai said as he tried to help C.C. up. But like Suzaku, when Rai touched her shoulders several shocks went through his head.

"No, don't touch me!" C.C. pleaded.

"W-What…?"

Several images began to flash before Rai's eyes. Things he had never seen before. First he saw what looked like a wormhole, then he saw what seemed to be the planet Jupiter. After that Rai witnessed C.C. being killed repeatedly, whether it was being burned alive in a church, from being beheaded from a guillotine, or being shot in the head in the middle of a war zone. The last vision however seemed to have taken Rai's full attention. It showed E.E. standing on top of an altar. Standing next to her was a man in his mid-twenties. He had a hairstyle similar to Rai's except his hair was black, shorter, and less wild. They were both looking at each other while holding hands. And above them was a window on the ceiling. From this window he could see the night sky with a moon that was glowing ominously blue. Rai then saw another vision of them standing together on top of a hill, over-looking a town. The town below them was burning to ashes and they were both just looking at it with faces that was neither happiness nor sadness but rather emptiness. Above them was the same blue glowing moon in the night sky.

Once the visions faded away Rai collapsed onto ground the ground as well.

"…! Rai, it appears you've seen something you weren't supposed to…" C.C. murmured as she looked down at the unconscious boy.

"Major Kururugi…!" A guard called out.

"Why you…What have you done to him!" Another guard said as he pointed a gun at her.

C.C. then looked at them annoyed and the sigil on her forehead started to glow. Several shocks were sent into the minds of the guards and, one by one, they started to pass out and collapse. C.C. then quickly picked the unconscious Rai up and ran back to the cockpit of the Gawain.

(Back in G1 Base)

"Lelouch…!" Euphemia yelled out as she ran to his side and tried to help him up. Lelouch however just pushed her away as he got up while still holding his hand over his eye.

"Stop it, stop giving me your pity! Spare me your charity! This is something I have to achieve on my own! And so for that, I shall now stain your hands with blood, Euphemia li Britannia!"

Lelouch was then about to use his Geass on Euphemia until she started to speak up.

"That isn't my name anymore…I've renounced it! There'll probably be a formal announcement from the homeland any day now but I've given up my claim to the throne!"

"But why…It wasn't because you accepted Zero is it?"

"Well of course. I have to pay the price for doing something so selfish, those are the consequences."

"Yes, but it wasn't difficult for you to give that up now was it? And I suppose you did for my sake."

"You're as conceited as you ever were I see. But no, I did it for Nunnally. She told me herself, All I want is to be with my brother and that's all that matters and nothing else."

"For that petty reason?"

"That's right Lelouch…That's how I made up my mind. It made me stop and reflect on what's really important to me in life. Don't you understand now…I'm not giving up anything that has any significant meaning or real worth to me. And you don't need to worry, I won't tell anyone about you."

Hearing that just made Lelouch laugh to himself.

"And Cornelia?"

"It's not like we'll never see each other again."

"Euphie, you are a fool…An amazing fool."

"I know I'm not as smart as you Lelouch. I never have been able to beat you at games or studies, however…"

"However, in your usual rash Euphie fashion you managed to end up winning all of it. When I think of you I don't visualize a sub-viceroy or a princess, I only see the plain little Euphie you used to be."

"Then will you join plain little Euphie and help her?"

They both then stood there for a moment until Lelouch finally answered her question.

"You are…You are the worst enemy I have ever faced."

Lelouch then grabbed Euphemia's hand.

"You win. I'll amend my plans to help out your special zone…But not as your subordinate all right?"

"Alright, still, you don't have much faith in me do you?"

"Hmm…?"

"Did you honestly believe you could get me to shoot you by threatening me?"

"You got it all wrong. When I really want people to follow my orders they will not resist me. Whether it's to shoot me, to grant pardon to Suzaku, or any order at all."

"Oh, you're just being silly now. Stop playing with me."

"I'm serious, for example, if I told you to kill all the Japanese, it wouldn't matter how you felt about it…" Lelouch said as he looked towards Euphemia.

Euphemia then started to walk backwards, away from Lelouch, with a look of horror in her eyes.

"Please…Don't make me do it…I don't want to…No… I don't want to kill them!" Euphemia shrieked out in fear and pain as her body shivered. She then fell to the floor and started to cry.

"W-What…Did I…" Lelouch then looked at a nearby mirror and saw that his Geass was automatically on. He then tried to turn it off but it wouldn't vanish like it normally would.

"_No, this can't be…I can't control my Geass!"_

"Yeah, you're right. I have to kill all the Japanese." Euphemia emotionless said as she finally succumbed to the Geass command.

"Forget the order I just gave you…Euphie!"

Euphemia didn't listen to him however and picked up Lelouch's gun. She then left the G1 Base.

"Wait Euphie…don't!"

Euphemia then ran out of the G1 Base and appeared on top of the ceremony stage, looking at the audience full of Elevens.

"Sub-viceroy, where's Zero?" Darlton said as he stood up.

"All of you who call yourselves Japanese…I have a favor to ask! Could you all die, please?"

The crowd was then mystified by what Euphemia was saying.

"Umm…I was hoping you all would commit suicide but you can't, can you? Okay then, Britannian soldiers, please kill the Japanese, kill them all!" Euphemia ordered.

"The woman's mad!" Kirihara yelled.

"Cut the mics and cameras now!" Darlton ordered.

"Euphie, no!"

Zero then ran onto the stage but was stopped by some guards who were holding spears.

"Halt!"

"Out of my way!"

Zero was then about to use his Geass when he suddenly heard a gunshot go off. He looked forward and saw that Euphemia had just shot someone in the crowd of Elevens.

"Go on soldiers, do your duty, hurry up!"

"Princess Euphemia, what on earth come over you? Please stop this at once or…" Darlton started to say but Euphemia then turned around and shot Darlton on his side, causing him to grovel over.

"Forgive me General, but I mustn't let anyone stand in my way. I have to kill all the Japanese. Now Britannians, kill the Japanese!"

The royal guards who were in their Gloucesters then started to shoot at the Japanese with the torso machine gun attached to their frames, killing them in the process.

Suzaku, who was now awake, came running into the stadium wondering what was going on.

"Stop, what are you doing?"

Suzaku then turned on his headset.

"All forces, this is Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Honor of the Britannain forces, cease fire at once!"

No one however would response to his order.

"We were ordered to kill all the Japanese here. Princess Euphemia ordered it personally." A guard piloting a Gloucester told Suzaku.

"What…Princess Euphemia did? Don't be ridiculous! No, that's absurd!"

"You're Japanese too, aren't you?" The guard said as he aimed his assault rifle at Suzaku.

"Euphie stop!" Lelouch yelled as he tried chasing after Euphemia, who was shooting down Elevens with an assault rifle.

"This thing…My Geass did this?"

"Z-Zero…? Please help us…You must help…You're Japan's savior…" An eleven cried out to Zero.

"Stop it…Don't call me your savior because I'm not the messiah of Japan!"

"You're…our only hope…" The Eleven then fell then and perished.

"Stop it…Don't force me…Must I atone for this sin…Is this a cross I have to bear too?"

After having enough of seeing what he had caused in the stadium Zero started to walk away until he came across General Darlton.

"Zero, you son of a bitch…What did you do to Princess Euphemia?" Darlton said as he tried to raise his gun up to Zero.

"Andreas Darlton…The closest of Cornelia's inner circle advisors."

(Inside the G1 Base)

After killing all the Japanese people she could find in the stadium and running out of ammo in her rifle Euphemia threw the gun onto the floor and headed for the G1 Base. Inside the hanger of the G1 Base was a pink colored knightmare. Euphemia boarded the cockpit of the knightmare and then used the activation key to make the knightmare come to life. On her monitor the name of the knightmare was displayed: Lancelot Frontier.

"I Euphemia li Britannia bid all of you within the sound of my voice to heed the following command. Seek out any Japanese you can find and please kill them, leave not a single one of them alive!"

After she gave her order to the Britannian soldiers she launched out of the hanger.

(Back in the stadium)

"Euphie!" Suzaku called out her name while being chased by a Gloucester that was trying to shoot him down.

The Gloucester was then about to shoot him with its assault rifle when a lance type sword slashed the Gloucester's arm off. The Gloucester was then shot down by assault rifle blasts and eventually exploded. Suzaku then saw that it was the Lancelot Club that saved him.

"Suzaku, what's going on? Why is the stadium in such a chaotic state?" Sai asked through the communicators.

"I don't know…And Euphie has just up and vanished."

Suzaku then saw the Avalon appear over the stadium and got on the Lancelot Club. Sai then flew both of them back up to the Avalon using the Lancelot Club's Float System.

"I can't believe Euphemia would order the slaughter of all those innocent people We have to find her, no matter what Sai!" Suzaku said as he launched at of the Avalon's launchpad in his Lancelot.

"Don't worry Suzaku, we'll find her, and we'll fix this…Somehow." Sai then launched back out in his Lancelot Club and split up with Suzaku in search for Euphemia.

(Aboard the Gawain)

Once Lelouch returned to the Gawain Rai and C.C. were there waiting for him.

"Hey Lelouch, what's going on here? I didn't think this was part of the plan." Rai said to Lelouch.

"I'm shocked. I didn't think you would go this far." C.C. commented.

"It wasn't me."

"Huh…?" Both C.C. and Rai said.

"This time I didn't use the power. Or rather, I didn't mean to use my Geass."

"Then that means…back then…" C.C. quietly said to herself.

Lelouch then gave C.C. and Rai a quick explanation of what happened to his Geass and Euphemia. After hearing Lelouch's story Rai sat there in the cockpit and didn't say a word.

"At this point, I might have no choice but to kill Euphemia. Even though I…"

"Wait…" Rai quickly said.

"Huh…what is it Rai?"

"There might still be a chance to save her, but before I say any more you have to answer one question for me Lelouch."

"And what would that be?"

"Do you really care about your sister Euphemia?"

After a moment of silence Lelouch answered Rai's question.

"…Yes, yes I do. Now out with it, what are you thinking?"

"I might be able to stop Euphemia by using my own Geass. That's the whole reason you brought me with you in the first place, isn't it?"

"Yeah, but is it really possible to cancel my Geass command with another Geass. What do you think C.C.?" Lelouch said as he looked down at the green haired woman.

"Theorically…but I never seen two of the same Geass abilities used on the same person before but…"

"It worth a shot anyways…All we need to do is find her so I can use my Geass on her."

"Then that's what we'll do then. Now we just need to find her and…"

"Hey, the Britannian forces have left the stadium!" C.C. said as she saw Gloucesters busting through the walls of the stadium.

"Attention Zero, return that unit! That machine is the property of our military…" Several Britannian aircrafts came flying towards the Gawain. Before they could finish speaking however Zero blasted all their aircrafts with the Hadron Cannon. Zero then opened the communication channel to all his Black Knights soldiers.

"This is my order to all Black Knights! Euphemia has become our enemy! The special administrated zone of Japan was a cowardly trap to lure us in! All armored autonomous battle knight units, break into the ceremony grounds and wage an attack! Wipe out all Britannian forces! And if you find Princess Euphemia, capture her and bring her to me! Save the Japanese! Hurry!" Zero's order resounded.

After hearing Zero's command the Black Knights soldiers appeared from their hiding locations and headed for the stadium, shielding the Elevens from the gunfire of the Britannian soldiers and wiping out every Britannian Knightmares in their way.

"Now we just have to find Euphie…" Lelouch solemnly said to himself.

(Outside the Stadium)

While piloting the Lancelot Frontier, Euphemia was shooting the Elevens with the Varis Rifle in her right hand while holding a shield in her left hand that was shooting out missile particles. One by one the Elevens were being killed until Kallen came in her Guren Mk-II and knocked the Varis Rifle out of the Frontier's hand with her fork knife.

"Stop it!" Kallen said as she pushed the Lancelot Frontier away with her Guren.

"Hey, are you Japanese? You dare raise your hand against Princess Euphemia li Britannia?" Euphemia said as she questioned Kallen.

"Aha, so there you are, you ridiculous royal puppet of Britannia!"

"Oh, wait a minute, you're that one from the island."

"Yeah, that's right, now feel the taste of vengeance!"

Kallen then began to charge towards the Lancelot Frontier in her Guren. Euphemia used the Frontier to pull out a MVS Sword with her right hand while shooting at the Guren with the particles from her shield. Kallen however was able to dodge all the missiles attacks. Euphemia then swung her sword but Kallen was able to easily sidestep and kick the sword out of the Frontier's hand with the Guren's foot. The Guren then grabbed the shield the Frontier was holding with its right hand and then Kallen used the Radiation Wave to the completely destroy the shield. Kallen then kicked the Frontier back but quickly grabbed the its head with her right arm, ready to use the Radiation Wave again.

"Now it's time to say goodbye once and for all you worthless Britannian princess!"

"Wait, I'll deal with her!" Zero voice called out as he came down with the Gawain.

"Zero!" Kallen called out.

"You leave Princess Euphemia to me. You go and save the Japanese."

"Okay!" Kallen said as she left the area in her Guren.

Zero then used attacked the Lancelot Frontier with the ten slash harkens on the Gawain's fingertips and reduced the Frontier into rubble, although he left the cockpit intact.

"I have to kill them all! These Japanese people, they have to die!" Euphemia said as she got out of the cockpit and started to look around for a weapon. She then found a pistol and picked it up.

As Euphemia was reloading the pistol Rai came out of the cockpit and approached her. Rai then activated the Geass in his right eye and looked at Euphemia.

"Princess Euphemia li Britannia, I command you to…Ugh…" Before he could finish saying the command Euphemia, who noticed that he was wearing a black knight uniform and assumed he was Japanese, shot him in the side which gave Rai a intense pain and made him fall on one knee.

"You're Japanese aren't you. In that case you need to die!" Euphemia said as she prepared to fire at Rai again.

"Euphie, stop!" Zero yelled from atop the Gawain as he whipped out his handgun and shot Euphie's hand.

This caused her to yelp out in pain and dropped her gun.

"Lelouch…why…?" Euphemia said to herself as she looked up at Zero..

"Do it now Rai! Use your Geass!" Zero yelled out the top of his lungs.

"Yeah, yeah, I know." Rai said as he slowly got back up and activated his Geass again.

"Euphemia li Britannia, I command you to stop killing the Japanese!" Rai said as a red globe surrounded him and Euphemia.

"Huh…stop killing the Japanese…? But I have to kill them…but at the same time…I can't…Ahhh!"

Euphemia was shivering and shaking her body as she struggled with whose command she should follow before screaming out as if she was in pain. The red orb that surrounded her eyes then broke like glass and she collapsed onto the ground.

"Did it work?" Zero said.

"I think it did." Rai suggested.

"Nooo…!"

Before they could do anything else though they heard Suzaku screaming as he came flying down in his Lancelot, who saw Euphemia laying on the ground.

"Suzaku…" Zero said as he looked up at the Lancelot.

"Why now of all times!" C.C. said as she fired the hadron cannons at the Lancelot.

"Ugh…the Lancelot is no match for the hadron cannons…" Suzaku mumbled as he barely dodged the hadron blasts fired at him.

The Lancelot then landed on the ground, with gusts of winds so powerful that it knocked Rai down. Suzaku then picked Euphemia up with the Lancelot's manipulator hand and flew off back towards the Avalon.

"Hey Rai, are you okay?" Zero called out.

"…Ugh…I'm…fine…" Rai weakly said as he struggled to get back up with his hand over the side that was shot by Euphemia but once he was on his two feet again he fell back down.

"Rai!"

Moving on to the next Stage…


	23. Chapter 23

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 23: The Collapsing Stage

Even with Euphemia out of the battlefield the Britannian soldiers continued to engage in battle with the Black Knights until Guilford, Viceroy Cornelia's knight, appeared and ordered all of the soldiers to retreat. Once they disappeared from the area the Elevens and the members of the Black Knights gathered into the stadium. Up on top of the stage they were all greeted by Zero, with the members of Kyoto gathered behind him. They all cheered as Zero stood before them all.

"People of Japan and all who are oppressed by the empire of Britannia…Long have I waited for this moment…All through the struggles against Britannia's injustices…I waited for them to come to their senses…But that hope was betrayed by an act of barbarism that can only be called genocide! I hereby declare our independence from Britannia. But don't take this as a means of the resurrection of your fallen nation…We will not turn back the hands of time…The new Japan we go on to build shall be broad enough to accept all people, histories and ideologies where the strong shall not reign over the weak…And it shall be called…The United States of Japan!"

Zero was then met with cheered that filled the whole stadium. After that Zero then left the stage and met up with the members of Kyoto behind the background.

"How wonderful it is to finally meet you!" Kaguya said as she flashed Zero a smile.

"Zero, are you prepared to work beside us in what's to come?" Kirihara questioned him.

"The opposite!" Zero answered which surprised the members of Kyoto.

"From this point on, the six houses of Kyoto will be under my control! I won't hear any objections. All other paths of survival for you have now vanished!"

Afterwards the Black Knights started to make plans to assault the Tokyo Settlement. Insurrections broke out all over Area 11, with the Black Knights being the largest of the groups and absorbing all of the masses as they make their way to the Tokyo Settlement. The Black Knights strength has reached over ten thousand.

Meanwhile back in the G1 Base Zero began walking down the hallway until he opened one of the doors and entered a room. Inside he saw C.C. standing by a window and Rai sitting on the sofa, with his arm placed over his left side.

"Hey, are you feeling any better?" Zero said as he walked further into the room.

"I can still feel the pain of the gunshot but…I'll be fine." Rai said as he turned his head to look at Zero.

"While I'm not a doctor I was able to treat Rai's wound to the best of my abilities." C.C. reported.

"I see…that's good."

Zero then stood right in front of Rai.

"I'm sorry that this happened. I was the one was supposed to be shot in the first place. It's my fault that the plan was screwed up." Zero apolitically said as he looked down.

Rai however was not amused by Zero's apology.

"Are you always like this when someone you know gets hurt?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him. That's just shows how soft he really is." C.C. said as she joined in on the conversation.

"Just drop it, what happened, happened, and there's nothing else to do now but move forward."

"You're right…Now that it has come to this I have no choice but to continue on as Zero. It's the…least I can do. And also…" Zero then got down on one knee and removed his mask.

"Thank you for saving my dear little sister Euphie."

"…Lelouch, tell me why Zero, who also happens to be a Britannian prince, is bowing before me as if I was your king?"

"Yeah, that's right. For the first time in my life I'm pushing my pride and my shame aside to give thanks and praise to someone else for helping me. Without you I would have no other choice but to kill her. She is one of the most important people in my life and probably the first girl I ever loved…"

Rai's mood then suddenly changed from a look of annoyance to a confused look at Lelouch's last comment.

"W-Wait…seriously?"

"What…?"

"You fell in love with your own half-sister? I know that I loved my sister too but I didn't love her in that kind of way…"

"_Then again, this is coming from the guy who dotes on his real younger sister and would probably challenge the whole world for Nunnally's sake…"_ Rai quickly thought to himself.

"I was only eight at the time okay…Back in the Imperial Palace the only girls my age that I saw were mostly my own family members."

"Then answer me this…Please don't tell me the reason you've been trying to capture Cornelia so relentlessly is because…" Before Rai could finish Lelouch quickly blurted out a response.

"It's not like that…!"

"Okay, just making sure."

The two then started to laugh until Rai's side started to hurt and again and he flinched from the sting in his side. This caused Lelouch to stop as well.

"Hey, are you alright?" Lelouch asked.

"Yeah, I'm fine, really. The plan still continues, doesn't it?"

"Yes, the plan continues, but without you now."

"What, but I can still…"

"You're going to take it easy for a while…" Lelouch said as he looked into Rai's eye.

"…Yeah, alright." Rai didn't argue any more about the subject.

"Anyways, right now you get a front row seat and get to bear witness to the birth of a new country."

Zero then put his mask back on and then he and Rai walked out of the room and headed for the G1 Bases' main meeting room. C.C. turned back and started to stare out the window again, staring at the moon while talking out loud to herself.

"No blue moon tonight huh E.E. …Yeah, that's right…It's going to happen again very soon…Yes, I'm talking about war…One that's going to change the entire nature of the world…But, that's not the first time this happened…War has since become a staple in mankind that has brought about change, whether it's makes things better or worse…For example, there's that war that you and Saboro started oh so long ago which led to the creation of the Sumeragi's Legacy…And even before that, there's was the very first war that became the cause for all the other wars that follow it…Yes, the one before you and I even became Immortal or born for that matter…It's not even recorded in the history books and only those who have Codes know about it…The first and most deadly war of all, said to have almost destroyed the very Earth itself…The war that we Immortals call 'The Eight Holy Saints War'…Anyways, I have to go now since Lelouch needs me right now…It was nice to talk with you again, E.E."

C.C. then closed the curtains and left the room. When she arrived on the G1 Bases main room she saw Zero getting ready to move.

"You all have your orders, so be ready. Diethard, have Tohdoh handle the front line. I'm leaving you in charge here."

"Yes, very well Zero." Diethard responded.

Zero and C.C. were then about to leave the room when the door slid open to reveal Kaguya standing in the doorway.

"You, your one of the Sumeragi…" Zero said as he looked down at Kaguya.

"Thank goodness, I made it in time. That was so mean of you, going into battle and then leaving me behind like that! I've been a huge fan of yours even since your big debut! I was hoping that I would finally get the chance to talk with you but…Wow, you're really tall aren't you? Don't worry though, I'll catch up to you really soon though." Kaguya just kept talking and all Zero could do was stand there and listen.

"Lady Kaguya, I thought the heads of the Six Houses are staying back at Fuji." Diethard said as he appeared from behind C.C. and Zero.

"I followed after you! So I could watch my future husband fight!"

"…Don't joke around." Zero said.

"Well, once you win this battle you'll eventually need a wife won't you? I know your identity is a big secret and all but you're going to need someone as your public face right?"

"Really, you believe we're going to win this battle?"

"Of course, I am the goddess of victory after all!"

"I would be happy to have you then…Unfortunately though; I've already made a contract with the devil."

Zero and C.C. then walked past Kaguya through the door.

"I have no room in my life for deities right now. But I'm sure your cousin Rai will be more than happy to have you for now."

"Eh…What…?" Rai said from the background.

"Huh…Oni-chan is here too? That's just great!"

Kaguya then scanned the room and found Rai. She then ran over to him, jumped, and placed her arms around him. While Kaguya was distracted by Rai, Zero and C.C. headed for the hanger and boarded the Gawain.

"It's so nice to see you again oni-chan!" Kaguya happily said.

"Umm…Yeah, it's nice to see you too…" Rai said as he placed Kaguya back down on the floor.

"So are you going to be heading onto the battlefield as well oni-chan?"

"…No, I've been ask to stay here on the G1 Base."

"Oh…Is that because you're injured or something?" Kaguya said as she looked as Rai had his hand over his left side.

"Huh…N-No, it's nothing like that. I'm just…hungry right now is all." Rai said as he made up something to tell his cousin. The only ones who knows about Rai's early injury are C.C. and Lelouch.

"Oh thank goodness, you almost had me worried there. But I should have already known that since nobody can hurt you!" Kaguya confidently proclaimed.

"Right…I'm going to get me some fruit. Do you want some?"

"Oh, yes."

Kaguya then sat down on the throne-like chair while Rai headed for the kitchen to find some fruit.

(Aboard the Avalon)

"Is…Euphie going to be okay?" Suzaku worryingly asked a doctor while standing outside the infirmary room. Suzaku then looked through the glass to see Euphemia placed on a bed.

"Well, the sub-viceroy appears to be okay except…" The doctor then suddenly paused.

"Except what…?"

"She seems to be suffering from some sort of brain damage. Even with all of our current technology, we can't analyze the cause of it. Right now she is in some kind of comatose state. We don't know when, if, she'll ever wake up." After giving Suzaku his report the doctor walked away while carrying some papers in his hands.

Once the doctor was gone Suzaku entered the infirmary room and sat down on chair. He just sat there in complete silence for a while until he heard the door slide open and someone walked into the room. He turned around to see it was Sai, who just returned after trying to find Euphemia. Sai then walked over and stood by Suzaku's chair.

"So, is the Sub-Viceroy okay?" Sai asked.

"I wish, but she's in some kind of coma right now." Suzaku said in a sorrowful tone of voice.

"Oh, is that so…"

"Hey Sai, I know you're a Britannian, but there's something I want to ask you."

"Sure, what is it?"

"Euphemia's Special Zone of Japan…It wasn't a bad idea was it? What are your thoughts about it?"

"…Well, don't take this the wrong way, and it may be because I'm a Britannian but I never really thought about the special zone of Japan since it had nothing to do with me directly. At the same time though, I still thought it was a good idea. It would have solved things peacefully without anyone having to fight or die as well as keeping the terrorism under control. I would have gladly supported the Special Zone."

"Yeah, I know…there's no way Euphie would ever order the slaughter of all those Japanese…Euphie was going to make everything better…She was going to bring peace and happiness to everything…but then…While I have no proof I'm positive that Zero is somehow responsible for all of this…Zero must have did something to Euphie when they were alone in the G1 Base…He crushed Euphie's idea of peace just for his own malice ambitions."

Suzaku then got up and started to walk out the door.

"Hey Suzaku…where are you going?" Sai yelled out to him.

"I'm going to confront Zero, and then I'm going to get him to tell me the truth." Suzaku said with a serious look on his face.

"Wait Suzaku, you can't leave, we haven't been ordered to do anything yet and…"

The door then closed between them and Suzaku disappeared.

"Sigh…Why does he always has to be like this with the mere mention of Zero…"

Sai then looked over at the still unconscious Euphemia. He then walked over to her bed and stood in front of her.

"I hope you get well soon, Princess Euphemia. And don't worry, I'll make sure Suzaku doesn't do anything stupid or get himself killed. You can count on me, his partner."

Sai then walked out of the infirmary and went off to track Suzaku down. For a moment after Sai left Euphemia's face started to twitch as if she was about to wake up but she quickly sombered back into slumber, albeit with a more peaceful look on her face.

(On the outskirts of the Tokyo Settlement)

"Hear me, Britannia…This is Zero! A rebel against oppressors who abuse their power! We will wait until midnight. You have until then to surrender to me. This is your only warning. Twelve midnight, not a single second later." Zero said from the cockpit of the Gawain and watched as the timer went down.

(At the Government Bureau)

"Your little bluff is meaningless Zero. The Tokyo Settlement is an impenetrable fortress." Cornelia confidently said as she had the Britannian soldiers, her royal guard, Guilford, and the Glaston Knights stationed all over the Tokyo Settlement, ready for anything Zero might try to pull. However…

(Back inside the Gawain)

"You can still turn back you know. You're actions here will affect more than just Area 11. You, and the entire world will be steeped in war." C.C. cautiously said to Lelouch.

"I'm aware of that. And yet all the same…"

Lelouch's phone then went off. He then pulled it out and saw Euphemia's name on his phone. After looking at the timer Lelouch decided to answer the call.

"Lelouch…It's me…" It was Suzaku's voice.

"Suzaku…Why are you calling me now…?"

"Lelouch, are you at the school?"

"No, but I will be soon."

"I see…I called because there's something I want you to tell everyone."

"Yes, and what would that be?"

"The sky…Make sure no one looks up at the sky."

"What?"

"Lelouch, is there anyone you could ever hate so much that you would actually want to kill them?"

"…Yes, there is."

"I used to think that sort of thinking was unacceptable. That unless you followed the rules, killing someone was just murder. But now, it's hatred that guiding me. I'm fighting to kill someone. I'm going to become a murderer in the skies of Tokyo. So please…"

"Embrace your hatred. Just think of Euphie. I made my own mind up long ago. I have no intention of turning back."

"For Nunnally you mean…"

"Yes." Lelouch then looked over and saw that the timer was about to go off.

"I have to go now."

"Thank you, Lelouch."

"Forget about it. I mean you and I are friends after all."

"For the last seven years."

"Right, see you then."

"Yeah, later."

As soon as Lelouch turned off his phone the timer on his monitor went off. Several explosions underneath the settlement went off. The ground itself shook and the roads cracked while building started to fall. Britannia's troops also started to become scattered.

"These hands of mine have been dirty for a long time now Suzaku. Your coming here to face me now doesn't matter at all, hell, I welcome it really. I mean after all, you and I are friends."

Lelouch then watched as the Tokyo Settlement started to crumble before him.

"The layered structures are built to be earthquake resistant, but if you demolished all of the floor sections simultaneously you won't find anything to be more fragile. By lining up at the city's perimeter to engage the Black Knights you sealed your fate. That's right, only by pushing forward will I find atonement. Even if my enemy is the greatest empire on the planet, there's no turning back for me now. Everything is in place. The time has come to overthrow the old world order. And for that, destruction must come before creation!"

(Out in the now destroyed Tokyo Settlement)

"How does the enemy air power look?" Tohdhoh asked as his knightmare and the forces of the Black Knights stood right outside the borders of the Tokyo Settlement.

"Our allied groups have concentrated hard on breaking them in each of the sector. The rest are scattered around Izu, Sado, and Awaji." Chiba gave her reports to Tohdoh.

"Then the time is ripe. Now is our chance…Attack!" Tohdoh commanded as the Burais and the Gekkas charged into the Tokyo Settlement.

"Third squad, take the media sector. Sixth squad, take the harbor. Special Forces squad, suppress the lower levels. All remaining forces will push from the front. Gather intelligence on the remaining enemy forces that are left."

After hearing Tohdoh's orders the Black Knights moved out to their assigned locations.

(Britannia's POV)

"All forces hear me! Fall back to the Britannian government bureau!" Cornelia commanded as she pointed the jousting lance her Gloucester held in its right hand back towards the bureau.

"Yes, your highness!"

"What's wrong? If you're having controlling it just attach the cockpit block." Cornelia said as she looked down at a Sutherland that was kneeling on the ground.

"No, Princess Cornelia, forget about me and get to the bureau."

Right after he said that the Black Knights troops suddenly appeared.

"Cornelia's been found, surround her!" Tohdoh said as he charged straight towards her Gloucester and attempted to slice it with the brake sword.

Cornelia blocked the sword however by using the fallen Sutherland as a shield, killing the pilot in the process.

"Tohdoh, you phantom!" Cornelia disgustingly said.

"Meet your fate!" Tohdoh said as he attempted another strike but another Gloucester, with a darker purple coloring, stepped between Cornelia's Gloucester and Tohdoh' Gekka and stopped the Brake Sword with its Jousting Lance.

"Princess, leave this to me!" Guilford yelled as he warded the brake sword back and attempted to stab Tohdoh's Gekka with the jousting lance. Tohdoh however was able to jump away from Guilford's strike.

"Guilford…"

"Get away while you can Princess!"

"Do you expect me to abandon my men and run away?" Cornelia said questioning her knight.

"Your highness, you must survive! Go now, because I am the knight chosen to champion you!" Guilford said as he pulled a sword out from behind his Gloucester cape. The sword then glowed red signaling Tohdoh that it was the same sword the Lancelot uses.

"That the same sword the Lancelot uses."

Guilford's Gloucester and Tohdoh's Gekka then readied their swords as they prepared to strike each other.

"So be it…Then Guilford, your orders are to come back alive, my knight." Cornelia ordered.

"Yes, your highness! I will return." Guilford confidently proclaimed.

Guilford's Gloucester and Tohdhoh's Gekka then charged straight at each other and swung their swords. The force of the sword clash was so strong that the floor beneath them broke and both frames fell to a lower level but continue a strong assault. Guilford's Gloucester then jumped back to dodge a onslaught of handgun shots being aimed at him and hid behind some fallen debris.

"Colonel!" Asahina yelled.

"Lieutenant Colonel, should we pursue?" Senba said as he and Asahina's Gekka stood by Tohdoh's Gekka.

"Where are the other units?" Tohdoh asked.

"They're approaching, climbing up from the other side…Hmm…"

Several missiles then came flying towards the three Gekka which caused them to fall back. Tohdoh then looked up and saw that the missiles were being launched by the Gloucester's of the Glaston Knights.

(Back inside the Gawain)

After taking out most of Britannian's air force Zero with the Gawain's hadron cannon he opened a channel to all his Black Knights.

"Diethard, most of the enemy's air power has been taken care of. Kaguya will handle the G1, move to your assigned location immediately!"

"Understood…"

"Yoshida, prepare the Raiko!"

"Yes, sir!"

"Tamaki, do you know Rakshata's status?"

"She's on the move!"

"Kallen, go provide her group with backup!"

"Right!"

"Tohdoh, you know what to do if you see the target…"

"Understood."

"Okay, now what is the name of the collaborator Ohgi?"

"Uh, I have it as Sayoko Shinozaki."

Lelouch was then surprised to hear it was the name of his maid back at Ashford. He was then mystified and started to wonder about her until C.C. spoke out to him.

"The Britannian forces seem to be only defending the government bureau."

"As expected they're trying not to scatter themselves while waiting for reinforcements."

The Black Knight forces then started to occupy several key locations in the Tokyo Settlement, including the news stations.

(Inside the Student Council Room)

The student council members were trying to watch the news broadcast until the television screen turned to static.

"Well, that was it. The broadcasting stations are all down." Milly said.

Just then Zero walked into the room with several Black Knights soldiers surrounding him, one of them was Kallen.

"Ahhh…It's Zero and the Black Knights." Rivalz screamed out in fear.

"What are you doing here?" Milly question Zero.

"This academy will be of great use to us Black Knights, so we're going to use it as our command center."

"Your command center…?"

"Yes, and you, Milly Ashford, are going to take me to your grandfather, the superintendent so I we may negotiate the use of Ashford Academy as the command center of the Black Knights."

"…I'm in no position to refuse right?"

Rivalz then jumped out in front of Milly.

"Please, leave her alone!"

"Rivalz, what are you doing…?" Milly whispered to Rivalz.

"Come on…Let me look cool for once."

Zero then looked over at Nunnally, who was seated in her wheelchair.

"_Nunnally, until the fighting has ended, you'll be safe here under the protection of the Black Knights. So, please…"_ Zero whispered to himself.

Milly then gave Zero and stern look but pushed Rivalz away none the less and began to walk towards him.

"Wait Milly, don't go. How can we even believe them? They are at war with us Britannians after all!" Rivalz quickly shouted out.

"Please Rivalz, don't argue with him. Do what he says." Kallen said as she stepped forwards. She then removed the visors she was wearing and revealed herself to the members of the student council which greatly surprised them.

"K-Kallen!" Shirley shouted out.

"Well well, there's a surprised around every corner I see. But before I take you to my grandfather do I have your word that nobody on the school will get hurt. Not only us, but any of the student body, facility, and students anywhere on the campus?"

"Yes, you have my word." Zero proudfully said.

"Fine, I'll go with you then."

Milly and Zero then left the student council room and headed for the main school building. They were walking down the hall together until Milly stopped in front of a door leading to someone's office.

"This is his office." Milly said as she opened the door.

When Zero and Milly walked in her grandfather was surprised to the two of them.

"Milly, why are you here right now? And you, you're that…" The elderly man said as he looked at Zero.

"Ruben K. Ashford, superintendent of Ashford Academy. Formerly a man who helped with the production of the third generation knightmare frame, Ganymede, as well as a supporter of the now deceased Marianne the Flash. However, after her death Britannia stripped you of all your nobility and you were left with nothing except for this school."

"How do you know all of that?" The elderly man questioned Zero.

"How do I know…It's quite simply really…It's because…" Zero then removed his mask and revealed himself as Lelouch. Milly and her grandfather were greatly surprised to see him under the mask.

"You've been watching over me, Marianne's son, this entire time." Lelouch said with a smile on his face.

"L-Lelouch…? Is that really you?" Milly said with a confused look on her face.

"Yes, it really is me."

"Then, that time at Lake Kawaguchi…You came to rescue us that time?"

"Yes, and it was the perfect place to set up my big debut as Zero, the man who fights against Britannia."

"So it was you all along. The time for your vengeance against Britannia for your mother's death has finally come?"

"Yes, and there's something I want you to do for me."

"What would that be?"

"I'm not asking for much, I just need you to let me use this school as my command center for a while."

"Is that all?"

"Afterwards I want you to continue to support me, just like how you supported my mother."

"So, you're basically saying you want us to stay here with you?"

"Yes, just think about it for a moment. If you stay with me, after the United States of Japan is formed you won't have to take any more of Britannia's suppression. Also, there won't be any need to send your granddaughter away to marry an Earl." Lelouch said as he aimed his eyes over at Milly.

"I'll protect you just as you protected me all these years. So, what do the two of you have to say?"

Milly's grandfather was then silent for a while before he gave Lelouch an answer.

"Very well, you have my support. I'll join in on this new country of yours, but only because you are Marianne's son. Do whatever you want to this school."

"Thank you…I appreciate your support, Mr. Ruben Ashford." Lelouch then put his Zero mask back on.

"And can I trust that my secret about being Zero…"

"I already know you're a Britannian prince, you don't have to worry. I'll keep your other identity a secret as well."

"Thank you."

"Lelouch, before you go there's one last thing I need to ask you." Milly said as she stopped Zero from leaving the office.

"Hmm…what is it?"

"Rai, where is here? He's not here on school grounds. Is he alright…or is he…"

"You don't worry about him. He's not on the battlefield. In fact, he's perfectly safe with his cousin right now."

"Oh, that's a relief…wait, cousin?"

"I'll tell you all about Rai Sumeragi after I drive the Britannians out of Area 11. I have to go now."

"Wait…Lelouch…What does the Sumeragi have to do with Rai!"

Zero then walked out of the office to answer a phone call from Ohgi.

"Yes, what it is Ohgi?"

"Zero, it's the Lancelot, it's here in the settlement."

"I see, so he did came after all, Suzaku…"

(Aboard the G1 Base)

As Rai stood by his cousin Kaguya's side on the G1 Base a sudden jolt of electricity went through his head as he was checking the current situation on the battlefield. A voice then spoke directly to his mind as if talking through telepathy.

"_You must go now. I sense danger approaching someone who is important to you. You need to go help her."_

After the voice finished speaking Rai saw a vision of two knightmares currently fighting each other somewhere in the Tokyo Settlement.

"That voice…It was E.E." Rai silently said to himself.

He then started to step forward which caught Kaguya's attention.

"Huh…Where are you going oni-chan?"

"…It appeared that something has happened on the battlefield. I need to go tend to it."

"Well, if you say so…Good luck then oni-chan…And remember, as long as I'm here you're guaranteed to win!" Kaguya cheerfully said as she gave Rai a wave of her hand.

As Rai was walking away he raised his hand in the air, signaling a goodbye back to Kaguya. He then walked around the G1 Base interior until he arrived at its hanger. There he found his blue knightmare frame, the Proto-Gekka, waiting for him. As Rai headed for his knightmare he saw something laying on the floor out of the corner of his left eye. He then walked over and picked up the object that was on the floor. This then caused Rai to sigh as he realized that it was Kallen's pink pouch that he picked up.

"Man, she really needs to learn how to take care of her stuff. I guess I'll give this to her the next time I see her…"

Rai then placed the pouch into his pocket on got into the cockpit of his knightmare. As he was starting up the knightmare however Rai felt a sharp pain pinch him in the side from where he was shot earlier. This caused Rai to twitch for a moment and then he heard Lelouch's voice ring into his head.

"_You going to take it easy for a while…"_

"I know that…but still…Even if I'm not at full strength...I need to do something…As long as I don't stay out there for too long, I should be alright…"

After reassuring himself he launched the Proto-Gekka out of the hanger and headed for the site that E.E. had shown him from the vision, while taking out any Sutherlands that got in his way with the handgun and revolving blade sword.

(Somewhere in the now destroyed Tokyo Settlement)

Suzaku flew straight into the Tokyo Settlement, violently destroying ever Burai he came across.

"Get out of my way!" Suzaku screamed as he slashed right through several Burai with his MVS Swords.

The Raiko then tried to attack the Lancelot with its electro cannon but before it could fire Suzaku used his swords to slash the legs of the Burais that were holding the cannon off. The knightmares then fell down which caused the whole cannon to fall and explode. Suzaku then continued on his way until a fork knife came flying through the air like a boomerang. Suzaku easily knocked it away with the MVS Swords and the fork knife flew back into the hand of its owner, the Guren Mk-II.

"Suzaku!" Kallen yelled as the Guren stared down the Lancelot.

"Kallen!"

"We meet in battle once again. I'm sorry, but this time you're going to die!"

"You're all fools, you know that! You, Rai, the Japanese, he's lying to all of you!"

"I can't put up with that ignorant drivel of yours. And what do you even know about Zero anyways?"

"Then tell what you know about him! Tell me where Zero is now!"

Suzaku then fired two slash harkens from the hips of the Lancelot to project himself upwards to the top of a building where the Guren was. Once he was on the roof he swung his MVS Sword and clashed with the radiation of the Guren's Radiation Wave. Seeing that he wasn't getting anywhere he back away and flew upwards with the Float System. Kallen chased after him by using the slash harken on a building and then wall jumped off of it to attack the Lancelot in the air with the radiation wave but the Lancelot pushed the Guren away.

"Come on, answer me! Where is Zero?"

"Like I'll tell that to a traitor like you!"

"Then lets finish this here!"

"Don't think you have an edge just because you can fly!"

The two knightmares then landed on the ground and the Lancelot attempted to swing its sword at the Guren but it missed as Kallen ducked under the strike. She then grabbed the Lancelot's left arm with her Guren's right hand.

"I got you now!" Kallen yelled as she activated the Radiation Surger.

The radiation released then started to spread all across the Lancelot so Suzaku had no choice but to eject the Lancelot's left arm to stop the spreading. Suzaku then quickly pulled the Varis Rifle out with his right arm and shot the Guren's right arm off at point blank range. The Lancelot then knocked the Guren down and flew back and pointed the Varis Rifle at the Kallen's Knightmare while flying in the air.

"I'll ask one last time. Where is Zero?"

"You know, I really hate pushy guys."

"Fine then, I won't ask again…You'll die here!"

Suzaku then fired the Varis Rifle while Kallen struggled to get the Guren back up.

"No, I can't die here…Come on Guren, get back up…Naoto…!"

Kallen then closed her eyes and thought of her brother as she waited for Suzaku's attack to hit her. After a few moments she noticed that nothing has hit her and opened her eyes to see a dark blue knightmare standing in front of her Guren Mk-II. It blocked the Varis blast by using a radiation surger on its left arm. The knightmare then turned around to face the Guren and Kallen recognized the machine as the Proto-Gekka.

"R-Rai…Is that you?"

"Yes, it's me. How is your knightmare?" Rai said as the Proto-Gekka helped the Guren back up.

"My main weapon, the radiation surger, was completely blown off by that special rifle of his. But I should still be able to support you from the side…

"No, you should go back to the command center and get Rakshata to fix that right arm of yours. I'll deal with Suzaku."

"But I can…"

"Listen to me Kallen. Do you remember what I told you back when we discovered that Suzaku was the pilot of that white knightmare? I said that…when the time came, if it became too hard for you, that I would be the one who defeats Suzaku Kururugi."

Kallen then remembered back to the time when Rai said that statement to her. Even though he was an amnesiac the time, he still intends to follow through that statement even now.

"Alright then, I'll go back to the command center. But as soon as my knightmare is fixed I'll be right back on the battlefield. And then we'll finish this battle together."

"Yeah…until then."

The Guren then left the battlefield and headed back for the command center. Rai then turned his knightmare towards the Lancelot.

"So you want to get in my way too, Rai?" Suzaku said.

"I'm surprised you didn't attack me while I was talking with Kallen."

"There are still some things I want you guys to answer for me."

"Oh, is that so? Well I'll be your opponent now." Rai said as he fired the handgun at the Lancelot. The Lancelot was able to easily fly away from the attacks though.

"Hmm…so my opponent is Suzaku. I should be able to defeat him even with my injuries. It already looks like the Lancelot is missing an arm, which was probably done by Kallen. But my unit isn't really suited for fighting air units. This means I'll have to destroy that flight backpack of his. Sigh…while I have thought of a strategy to deal with the float system, the original plan called for me to use it on that other Lancelot…oh well."

After thinking of a strategy to use Rai released all of the chaffsmoke stored inside the Proto-Gekka. A few seconds later the area surrounding Rai and Suzaku was covered in a white smokescreen. Rai then moved back and hid his knightmare in the fog like area, waiting for Suzaku to come down.

"Come back here Rai, you're going to tell me where Zero is!" Suzaku said as he foolishly decided to chase after Rai.

As soon as he landed in the chaff covered area however he lost track of Rai's location and his IFF signals weren't working. And then the Proto-Gekka appeared from behind the Lancelot and chopped the Float System in half with the revolving blade sword. Not only was the Float System destroyed, but Suzaku lost a lot of the Lancelot's energy by losing the Float System as well.

"Damn it, my energy filler…"

The Proto-Gekka then grabbed the Lancelot and pushed it out of the chaffsmoke. Once they were away from the smokescreen the Lancelot finally got the Proto-Gekka to let go of it. The Lancelot then tried to get its Varis Rifle to ready to fire but the Proto-Gekka knocked the rifle out of the Lancelot's hand with its sword. The Proto-Gekka then reached its left hand out and tried to use the radiation wave on the Lancelot but it managed to block the attack with the Blaze Luminous shields. The Lancelot then moved back and pulled out its remaining MVS Sword. The Proto-Gekka and Lancelot then charged forward and clashed their swords but because the Lancelot didn't make a strong enough swing and was pushed back. The Proto-Gekka then got the Lancelot off guard and Rai charged forward again and sliced the Lancelot's other arm clean off, leaving it vulnerable.

"Now you lost your other arm as well. You no longer have any more weapons either. I highly suggest you give up." Rai suggested to Suzaku.

"No, I'm not beaten yet!"

Suzaku then tried to kick the Proto-Gekka with the Lancelot's foot but Rai easily made his knightmare jump over the attack. The Proto-Gekka then grabbed the base of Suzaku's knightmare with its left hand and dragged it down to the ground while still holding on to it.

"Don't make me do this. I would rather not kill you if I don't have to."

"Well I refuse to become a prisoner of the Black Knights!"

"I see…so in the end you and I weren't able to understand each other after all. Then I'll do you a favor and end your existence here and now. This isn't the first time I've decided to kill someone I know who was corrupted by their own belief system."

Rai then started to activate the radiation wave but before the attack could go through Rai made the Proto-Gekka jump away as a Varis blast shot in between Rai's and Suzaku's knightmare.

Both Rai and Suzaku then turned their heads to see the Lancelot Club in the air, holding a Varis Rifle and an Assault Rifle in both hands.

"Suzaku, are you okay? Can you move your knightmare?" Sai asked Suzaku over the communication lines.

Suzaku then moved his control sticks and the Lancelot was able to get back up.

"Yeah, I think I'll be able to move if I use the landspinners."

"Then you need to go back to the Avalon so Lloyd and Cecile can make repairs to the Lancelot. You can't fight in that condition."

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

"I'll deal with that blue knightmare. He owes me a rematch."

The Lancelot Club then began shooting at the Proto-Gekka with its Varis Rifle and Assault Rifle while the Lancelot left the battlefield to go find the Avalon. Once Sai was sure that the Lancelot safely got away he stopped firing and put his weapons away.

"Pilot of the Blue Japanese Knightmare…Follow me, this is not where I wish to fight you." Sai said over an open channel.

The Lancelot Club then started to take off with the Proto-Gekka trailing behind it.

"What was that all about? Is he trying to goad me into a trap? Whatever the case, I'll see right through him and then…Ugh…" As Rai thought to himself a sharp pain went through his side again.

"I just have to hold out a little bit longer. If I can defeat that one, then Kallen and the others should be able to deal with the rest."

Rai then saw the Lancelot Club fly towards the harbor and landed behind some warehouses.

(On the roof of the government bureau)

"Their defenses are strong, as expected."

"Should you really be treating this so casually? Enemy reinforcements are arriving. If they start bombing us, it's all over."

"But we have a replenished energy filler don't we?"

Zero then saw air force reinforcement so he activated the hadron cannons and blew them all away.

"Tohdoh, I'm going to move in on the government bureau from above." Zero said as he moved the Gawain above the Britannian Bureau.

"Hmm…isn't it risky to rely on the abilities of that machine?"

"I know that. I'm just going to create some confusion."

Once the Gawain landed in on top of the roof Zero looked around the place.

"This place looks like…"

"Yes, Aries Villa."

"How do you know that?"

"…I'll tell you some day, when the time is right."

Before Zero could comment he noticed something moving in the distance.

"Welcome Zero."

Zero then looked up to see Cornelia's Gloucester staring him down on the other side of the garden.

"I figured you would come here. Now, welcome to the party. Care for a dance?"

Cornelia's Gloucester then charged forward and attempted to stab the Gawain with the jousting lance. The Gawain tried to counterattack with its slash harken but the Gloucester was too fast and glided by the harkens before they were even launched.

"What's wrong Zero?" Cornelia said as she shot assault rifle blasts at the Gawain.

"The specs on this machine are far superior to hers." Zero said as he tried to get the Gawain back in the air but Cornelia used the slash harkens on Zero's knightmare to climb her way up to the Gawain.

"I have you right where I want you now! This is your final judgment!" Cornelia said as she was able to stab the Gawain with her jousting lance but before she could a different jousting lance went right through her Gloucester from behind.

"Princess, it's me, Darlton."

"But…why…Darlton?"

"Do not be afraid. I haven't come to kill you." Darlton said under the influence of Lelouch's Geass.

"So he finally made it." Zero mused to himself.

"I'm here to deliver you to Zero, your highness."

The effect of Zero's Geass then wore off and he saw Cornelia's Gloucester fall back to earth with his jousting lance still stuck in her frame.

"My god, what have I done…Princess, why…?"

"Thank you Darlton…I don't need you any more…" Zero said as he blasted Darlton's Gloucester with the hadron cannons, killing Darlton in the process.

Zero then got out of the Gawain and stepped forward towards Cornelia, with his mask taken off.

"I see…So you were Zero all along. Darlton was right. He said it was someone with a grudge against the Britannian Imperial Family. You did this for Nunnally?"

"…Correct, I will demolish the current world and build a better one in its place."

"You'll kill them all for the sake of madness?"

"You're one to talk, sister, considering how much you idolized my mother Marianne the Flash."

"It would seem…Any further talking with you would be pointless."

"Indeed…Well then...Lelouch vi Britannia orders you to answer him!" Lelouch said as he stared into Cornelia's eyes with his Geass active.

"Ask away."

"Sister, were you the one who killed my mother?"

"No."

"Then who was it?"

"I don't know."

"But you were in charge of her personal guards, were you not?"

"Yes."

"Then why did you withdraw her escort?"

"Because I was asked to…"

"By whom…?"

"Lady Marianne."

"Mother did? But that's impossible. My mother knew she would be attacked that day? No, that can't be, if she did, she would have gotten us out of there! What happened on that day? Who killed my mother?"

Cornelia then tried to come up with something to say but didn't know what to say.

"You don't know? Then who knows the truth? You yourself investigated what occurred that day."

"I remember the emperor ordered Schneizel to transport the body out of there."

"The body…you mean mother's…Then who was in that coffin?"

"Hey, get back in here!" C.C. yelled out to Lelouch. While she didn't know what it was, she sensed something related to Geass approaching them.

"I know! The government bureau defense forces will be here soon. We will take Cornelia back to the command center as our hostage and then force the Britannians to surrender to us."

And then all of a suddenly a huge orange machine rose from beneath the ground and appeared on the rooftop.

"All Hail Britannia!" A man screamed out as he popped out from the entrance of the machine.

"Is that you Orange?" Zero said as he saw Jeremiah standing on top of the weird machine.

"Aha, there you are Zero! I can finally fight you one on one now. The time for my sweet vengeance has finally arisen. Now I can get you back for all those times you humiliated and ridiculed me. And once I'm through with you I'll learn the truth. In the name of Lady Marianne, victory shall be mine! All Hail Britannia!"

"Damn it, get Cornelia!" Zero ordered.

"I'm already on it!"

C.C. then attempted to grab Cornelia with the Gawain's hand but before she could the Siegfried rammed right into the Gawain, dragging it away from the garden rooftop.

"…This thing is going to be a handful to get rid of. And the Gawain has already been damaged by Cornelia. I'm going to have to get the Special Forces to deal with this monster."

Zero then opened a communication line to the special forces of the Black Knights.

(At the Harbor)

With no other choice available to him, Rai headed into the harbor. As he was trying to find the Lancelot Club Rai noticed several Burai, destroyed and laying on the ground.

"It seemed the sixth squad has already been wiped out. Did that pilot already came here before interrupting me and Suzaku?"

After continuing to search through the harbor Rai finally found the Lancelot Club standing right out in an open area of the harbor.

"This place…" Rai started to say.

"Do you remember, this is the spot where you and I fought for the first time, pilot of the blue knightmare."

Rai then looked over at the Lancelot Club and noticed that its float system wasn't equipped. It was leaning on the side of a warehouse.

"You're planning to fight me without you airpack?" Rai asked the pilot of the Lancelot Club.

"Since you're frame mostly rely on close combat it wouldn't be fair if I was flying around. I want to have a fair and honest duel with you. And don't worry, I've already refilled my energy filler so I'm at maximum strength.

"You're certainly…different from the other Britannian soldiers. And why fight fairly me, your enemy?"

"Because, pilot of the blue knightmare, if you are who I think you are, then you'll want to fight fairly too, it's in your nature after all."

"Does this guy know who I am? And if so, who is he…? Oh well, I don't have time to think of all the possibilities, I'm just going to defeat him and be on my way."

The Proto-Gekka then readied its revolving blade sword and radiation surger while the Lancelot quickly formed a dual-wielding MVS lance and held it in its right hand while holding an assault rifle in its left hand. The two knightmares then began to move with the Lancelot Club shooting its assault rifle. The Proto-Gekka moved and dodged the assault rifle shots while shooting its own handgun at the enemy. The Lancelot Club didn't move and held its ground by blocking the handgun shots with the Blaze Luminous Shield and continued to shoot its assault rifle until the gap between them closed in. Once they were close enough both knightmares attacked with their swords, both clashing at equal power. Both then jumped back at the same time with the Lancelot Club firing a slash harken from its left wrist. The Proto-Gekka stopped the harken by firing its own slash harken, canceling each other out. Once both frames landed, the Lancelot Club switched its assault rifle for the varis rifle and quickly shot a shot out of it although the Proto-Gekka was able to swiftly dodge it. The Proto-Gekka then charged forward and tried attacking with its revolving blade sword once again. The two frames then locked swords once again. The Lancelot Club then tried to flip its lance around to try to catch the Proto-Gekka off guard and knock the sword out of its hand, but having seen this trick once before, Rai saw this coming and backed away at the last second. However, the Lancelot Club had another move ready to use and shot out of the varis which managed to hit the side of the Proto-Gekka, causing minor damage to the frame.

"Man, that frame sure has some hard defense." Sai commented to himself.

"…Ugh…I'm wasting too much time here. I've already wasted too much energy dealing with Suzaku and those other frames I had to deal with to get this far. And the longer I sit in this position in the cockpit, the worst the pain in my side gets. There's also Lelouch's words that keep ringing inside my head and won't go away."

"_You are going to take it easy for awhile…"_

"…Why in the world did he have to do that to me for?"

Even though he was trying to recover from the damage he just took, Rai made the Proto-Gekka feign ignorance to catch the Lancelot Club off guard and spun around. The Proto-Gekka's foot then kicked the varis rifle out of its hand and quickly destroyed it with its handgun. Once it was back on its two feet properly again the Proto-Gekka jumped forward with its left arm stretched out and activated the radiation surger. The Lancelot Club activated its blaze luminous shields to defend against the radiation attack and Sai watched as his energy reserves started to quickly deplete from trying to block the attack.

"Man, I won't be able to block many of those." Sai commented to himself.

Once the blaze luminous shields cracked the Lancelot Club jumped back. The Proto-Gekka used this opportunity to attack it with the handgun but the Lancelot Club shielded itself this time but spinning the dual-wielding lance in front of itself, warding away all the bullets. When the Proto-Gekka stopped the Lancelot Club charged forward and swung its lance. The Proto-Gekka stopped it by using the revolving blade sword and then the Lancelot Club tried to spin its lance around but was stopped when the Proto-Gekka left hand reached out and grabbed it. The Proto-Gekka then activated its radiation surger in an attempt to destroy the dual-wielding weapon. Seeing that his weapon was slowly being destroyed, Sai split the weapon apart so only one sword shaped lance was destroyed. The Lancelot Club then started to move back, but not before punching the Proto-Gekka's head, knocking it off the knightmare's head and denting the Lancelot Club's hand in the process.

"He knocked the monopolic eye off, but I only lost my main camera…I can still pilot it visually." Rai said as he prepared to attack again with the headless knightmare.

"That radiation arm has to go next." Sai said as he pulled the assault rifle back out.

He then changed it into sniping mode and shot a charged shot out of it. The Proto-Gekka however was able to completely guard against the attack by using the radiation from its left hand as a shield. The Proto-Gekka then came forward and attempted to grab the Lancelot Club with its left arm. However, the Lancelot Club was able to sidestep away from the hand and quickly chopped off the Proto-Gekka's left arm off with its MVS sword lance and it exploded in midair. In return the Proto-Gekka sliced the Lancelot Club's left arm off and kicked the assault rifle into the nearby ocean. Both knightmares then jumped back and started to stare each other down.

"I lost the radiation surger and only have enough energy to attack with the revolving blade sword one time. After that I'm finished, which means…"

"My blaze luminous shields are down, I lost both of my rifles, and the MVS only have enough energy for one more strike, which means…"

"The next attack will be the last!" Both pilots said at the same time.

Both knightmares then wielded their swords in their right hand and began to charge at each other. Once they were in attacking range both frames swung their swords at each other and then….

(Kallen's POV)

Once repairs were finish with her knightmare, Kallen headed out for the battlefield once more. She now has the Proto-Gekka's old left hand, the first grade model radiation arm, attached to the Guren's right arm. As she was moving across the devastated Tokyo Settlement Kallen looked down at her IFF Signal and noticed that the Proto-Gekka was now in the harbor.

"Hmm…I wonder what Rai is doing there, helping out the sixth squad maybe."

Kallen then noticed the dot representing the Proto-Gekka flashed and the words LOST appeared over it which caught her off guard.

"W-What…No, that can't be right. The Proto-Gekka, Rai, lost?"

While not wanting to believe what the IFF said, Kallen then saw a white knightmare in the distance with a float system, flying in the air.

"Is that Suzaku?"

It seemed to be heading for the harbor. Kallen was then about to head for the harbor as well but suddenly received a message over the communicator.

"Kallen, this is Zero, I need you and the special squad to help me take down a dangerous new foe that has suddenly appeared. You need to get to this point as soon as possible. This is top priority right now." Zero said as a map of the Settlement with the point he wanted her to go appeared on her monitor.

"…O-Okay then. I'll be there as soon as I can."

Kallen then cut communication and then didn't move in her knightmare, not knowing what she should do. While she wanted to go check on Rai, she didn't want to disobey Zero's orders either. After several moments of hesitation, Kallen finally made up her mind and charged the Guren-Mk II forward, heading for the location she believed she needed to be at the moment.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	24. Chapter 24

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 24: The Fated Showdowns

(On top of the Government Bureau)

Once the Geass on her worn off, Cornelia could only sit there and watch as the Siegfried chased the Gawain away from the Britannian Government Bureau. A few minutes later she heard footsteps coming up to the rooftop and saw a familiar figure approaching her.

"Well well, it looks you've been defeated…this time." Nonnette said as she came out from the shadows.

"As much as I hate to admit it to you of all people, yes, I've been faced with defeat here." Cornelia painfully admitted as she looked down.

Nonnette then came over and picked Cornelia up in her arms.

"Don't worry Viceroy, it isn't over yet. You still got Guilford, your knight, as well as the rest of your royal guard fighting the Black Knights out there."

"Speaking of them, please don't tell Guilford or the rest of my men that I have been injured. It would only worry them."

Nonnette then looked over the edge of the roof to see Guilford and the Glaston Knights currently engaging Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords in knightmare combat.

"Don't worry; I'll keep quiet about it. Truth be told I wish I could go out there and show the Black Knights a thing or two, but sadly, my own personal knightmare is still in production and it will still take another year or two before it is complete. Anyways, we need to get you to the clinic right now."

Once she heard those words Cornelia was relieved and passed out. Nonnette then called for the Avalon to come pick them up. Once the airship arrived she carried Cornelia aboard and had a doctor go check on her.

Meanwhile, in the Avalon Hanger a loud shriek went off that echoed throughout the hanger.

"Nooo, my precious Lancelot Club has been defeated!" Lloyd yelled out as he shook his head in disbelief when the Lancelot Club's signal had the words LOST written over it on the IFF Monitor.

"Well, what should we do now?" Cecile questioned.

"Miss Cecile, is the repairs to the Lancelot fixed yet?" Suzaku asked.

"No, we're still making readjustments to it." Cecile responded.

"Then…how about I pilot that machine?" Suzaku said as he pointed to a white colored Sutherland.

"Huh…You mean the Sutherland Air?"

The Sutherland Air, a Sutherland that has been modified by Cecile and Lloyd for their experimental use and is equipped with several of Camelot's technology. Along with the standard slash harkens, it has the Camelot's Slash Harken/Blaze Luminous Shields combo, the Float System, and the same assault rifle that the Lancelot Club uses.

"Oh, so you're planning to take another one of my machines out for a joyride?" Lloyd sarcastically said as Suzaku has already taken the Lancelot without permission today.

"Suzaku, what do you plan on doing?" Cecile asked as she looked at Suzaku's eyes.

"I'm just going to bring my friend back. That's all I plan on doing."

After a moment of silence Cecile decided to believe in Suzaku's words.

"…Alight, then you're orders, Suzaku Kururugi, is to locate Sai and bring him back to the Avalon."

"Well he is an important part of the equation to my creations." Lloyd commented.

"Yes, my lord." Suzaku said as he gave Cecile a salute.

"Also, make sure you stay clear of Zero right now."

"If it's because of my earlier outburst then I do apologize it's just…"

"No, that's not the reason why." Cecile corrected Suzaku.

"Huh, then why…"

Cecile then pulled up a monitor showing the Gawain flying away from the Siegfried.

"Oh my, and what is that, a new model?" Lloyd curiously said as he stared at the Siegfried.

"We're not sure what it is but it seems to be only attacking the Black Knights. None-the-less, you should still keep your distance from it."

Suzaku then boarded the Sutherland Air and put in the activation key. Cecile's face then appeared on his monitor.

"His IFF signal disappeared at the harbor so you should search there first okay?"

"Roger." Suzaku replied.

He then launched his knightmare out from the Avalon's launchpad and made a direct course to the harbor. Along the way several Burai belonging to the Black Knights spotted him as the enemy and attempted to shoot him down with their assault rifles or missile tubes. With the Sutherland Air however, Suzaku blocked the attacks with the blaze luminous shields and shot back by changing the assault rifle into sniping mode. Suzaku was able to easily take down anyone that got in his way as he headed for the harbor.

(At the harbor)

At the edge of harbor out in the open area surrounded by warehouses lie the Proto-Gekka and Lancelot Club, both collapsed on the ground, in flames, and smoke rising up from the frames. In a close distance away from the knightmares sparks went off as the metal of two weapons clashed against each other repeatedly. One was holding a Japanese sword while the other was dual-wielding two lance type swords. The weapons then clashed one last time before both of their owners jumped back.

"Ugh…Not you again." Rai said in a voice of disgust.

"That face, that hairstyle, that sword stance as well as your moves…There's no doubt in my mind as to who you are, but still I must ask, what is your name?" The Britannian soldier who was dual-wielding weapons asked.

"My name…is Rai…Rai Sumeragi…And you…you're Michael Steinburg…A former member of the Glinda Knights and the Knight of Nine's Royal Guards…" Rai slowly and clearly said as he pointed his sword at his opponent with one hand.

"Well, while I'm flattered that you do remember me, you did say Sumeragi right?"

"Yeah, so…"

"Aha…You must be the one I needed to look for this entire time." Sai said as he raised one of his weapons and pointed it at Rai.

"What are you talking about?" Rai questioned.

"I believe you're the one who will lead me to the Sumeragi's Legacy."

"And just what does Britannia want with something like that?"

"I was just asked to find it for Britannia. It wasn't my place to question them."

"Sigh…I see you haven't change that much since the last time."

"Look, you don't really look like you're in your top condition right now, you look so tired and your moves are more sluggish than usual. So why don't we stop this pointless fight and just tell me everything you know about the Sumeragi's Legacy.

"…_So he already noticed how much of a disadvantage I'm in right now. He might not be as clueless as I thought. But still…"_

Rai then gripped hard onto his sword.

"Just…stay out of this! Especially since this is about something you could never understand." Rai replied.

"…And here I wanted to resolve this peacefully…Now I'll have to turn you in for interrogation."

Sai swung one of his lances which Rai tried to block with his sword but was flung back. Sai then jumped forward and swung both blades simultaneously. The two lances then landed on the blade of Rai's sword but after putting enough force into it Sai managed to push Rai backwards to a wall of a warehouse. Sai then lunged forward and attempted a stab with one of his weapons. However, Rai managed to move out of the way in time so Sai's lance went and got stuck in the wall. By the time he pulled it back out Rai raised his sword above his head and then swung downward. Sai blocked the attack by using the two lances as his shield.

"Oh no you don't…you're not hitting me like that again!" Sai yelled out.

"Don't underestimate me just because I look worn out."

Even though Rai said that, he knew that if was even hit once by those lances it would be the end of him. The two backed off for moment but soon enough back at each other, attacking, dodging, and blocking the other person's moves.

Eventually though, fatigue caught up with Rai and he had to pause for a moment to catch his breath. Seeing this as an opportunity, Sai charged forward and swung his lance. Rai tried to block it with his sword, but since he was holding it so weakly, the sword was knocked out of his hand and flew into the nearby ocean. Sai then attempted to stab him with his other lance but Rai dodge the attack and then kicked the lance out of Sai's hand. Rai then picked up the lance while it was still in the air and then they both made an attempt to attack each other with their lance. Both lance smacked each other into a stalemate so the two fighters then jumped back. While being in a state of exhaustion, Rai began thinking to himself as he crouched down.

"_What the hell am I doing out here? Why am I still fighting this guy? Normally, people would have run away a long ago if they were in a situation like this. Then why am I out here still fighting for the freedom of Japan? What is my purpose for being here? Is it because my mother was Japanese? No, that's not it. Is it to keep Britannia from having the Sakuradite in Mt. Fuji? At first it was but has since cease to be the reason. Then why…"_

Kallen's face then appeared in his mind.

"_We're going to liberate Japan together and create a place where everyone can live in peace."_ Kallen's words echoed in his mind.

"Oh yeah, that's right…I remember now."

Rai then reached into his jacket pocket with his left hand and grabbed Kallen's pouch.

Rai then stood back up, with the lance in his right hand and the pouch in his left. The two of them then charged straight at each other and locked their lances once again. Rai then revealed the knife hidden in the pouch and swung it across Sai's face, leaving a huge gash across his left cheek, with blood starting to pour out from the scratch.

"What, you have another weapon?"

"Hmph, I always use every weapon I currently possess to the best of my abilities, even if I'm not familiar with them."

"You…Why you!"

"Well what do you know…You're starting to act like a Britannian now." Rai replied.

Sai then furiously knocked Rai's lance away and drove his own upward, stabbing Rai's side, and to make matters worse, he was stabbed in the same spot where Euphemia shot him. Rai felt the most excruciated pain he ever felt and dropped the lance and knife. Sai then kicked him back and prepared to come at him with a punch by Rai quickly regained awareness of himself and formed a fist to strike back. The two then charged at each other at the same time and threw their fist at each other but Rai's connected first and sent Sai flying backwards. Sai's head then ran into a pole that lights up the harbor. After banging his head on the pole Sai fell down and was unconscious.

"…Well, I guess…that takes care of him…for now…" Rai said as he heavily breathe each breath.

Rai then pulled out the lance that was stuck in his side, but once he did an intense pain sent chills up his entire body. He then fell to his knees as he brought his arms together.

"Damn it, the bleeding won't stop." Rai said as he unzipped his jacket to see a blood stain on his dark blue shirt.

"Heh…this is about as bad as that other time…But I wonder…will someone come to help me out this time too?"

Even though he had a terrible wound inflicted on him, sores all over his body, the feelings of his hands going numb, and his vision starting to go blurry, Rai still managed to pull his phone out and started to dial some numbers. By the time he finished though he body finally gave up and Rai collapsed onto the cold ground, dropping the phone in the process.

"Rai, is that you…Where are you…Hey, can you hear me…Please, answer me…Rai…!" Kallen's voice cried out from the other end of the phone.

(In the skies of the now devastated Tokyo Settlement)

The Siegfried came in to ram the Gawain once again. However, once it saw the red lights on the Gawain's shoulder beginning to flash it immediately moved to the side to avoid the incoming hadron cannon being shot out.

"He's very good." C.C. commented.

"Damn, that thing is truly a monster! He wiped out not only the fourth squad, but the Special Forces as well! I wished I still had that Raiko right now…"

"Lelouch, you know I'm here with you, not only as your accomplice, but also as your ally."

"So, I should just trust you? Listen to the words of a woman who won't give me any reasons?"

"Look, I don't want you to die, at least that part is true."

"Hmph…That's just a one-sided convenience!"

Lelouch then moved the Gawain over to where the third squad was at.

"Third squad, enemy aircraft! Synch fire and shoot that thing down!" Zero said as the Gawain passed the third squad's Burai team.

The Burais then fired the missile launchers attached to their wrists at the Siegfried.

"Hmph…too slow!" Jeremiah said as the Siegfried started to spin around madly, reflecting the missiles away with ease.

While still spinning around, the harkens acted as sharp rotating blades as the Siegfried came down and ripped the Burai's to shreds, destroying the third squad in the process.

"As long as I have loyalty on my side, you cannot defeat me…Jeremiah Gottwald!" Jeremiah proudly proclaimed as the Siegfried continued to chase after the Gawain.

The Siegfried then fired a spike type slash harken but the Gawain was able to barely dodge it as it turned around.

"That's it, I had enough of you! C.C. hit the twelfth street now!" Zero commanded.

"Talk about one sided convenience!" C.C. said as she fired the hadron cannons.

The Siegfried quickly moved away as the cannons blasted the building behind the knight giga fortress.

"You missed…You can't hit me with that!" Jeremiah yelled out.

"You're wrong, Orange. You're being hit right now." Zero said as the building that was struck by the hadron cannon fell on top of the Siegfried.

"There, that took care of him." Lelouch said as he started to relax a little.

But before long the fallen building started to crack open as the Siegfried came out and started to search for the Gawain.

"Damn, he just doesn't know when to quit." Lelouch angrily said as he slammed his fists on the keyboard.

"Lelouch, I'll deal with him alone. You have to continue on for your dream." C.C. said without turning around.

"C.C., what are you saying?" Lelouch questioned.

The Gawain then landed on top of a nearby building.

"I'm saying that I'll use the Gawain to get in close to that orange thing and then use the hadron cannon up close to finish him off."

"But if you do that, you'll…"

"I'll be alright…I don't die that easily…But right now, you have to prevail…Over your own past…and over the outcomes of your own actions!"

C.C. then got up from her seat, turned around, and quickly gave Lelouch a kiss on his lips. Lelouch then came out of the cockpit of the Gawain as Zero and stood on the rooftop.

"C.C., don't die!"

"Who do you think you're talking to?" C.C. joked as the cockpit closed.

"You have a point."

Zero then stood there and watched as the Gawain took off and headed for the Siegfried.

"Aha, I've found you!" Jeremiah screamed out as he made the Siegfried charge towards the Gawain.

The Siegfried then fired all of its slash harkens at the Gawain but C.C. managed to maneuver her knightmare around them. C.C. then fired the slash harkens on the Gawain's fingertips and attached them to the Siegfried. She then reeled her frame closer the Siegfried and kicked the front side with the Gawain's knee, leaving a huge crack on the orange machine. Once the Gawain had a hold of the Siegfried, C.C. activated the thrusters at maximum strength and dragged the orange machine down to the ground. The Siegfried then tried to use its electric shock system on C.C. and the Gawain but she was able to endure the pain.

"You're not the first person I chose to commit suicide with. I'm probably going to get sent to my thought elevator for this, but maybe…never mind."

C.C. then activated the hadron cannons at full power, shooting at the crack she made earlier. This destroyed the outer frame of the Siegfried as well as the Gawain in the process. An explosion then covered the surrounding area, destroying everything within its radius. Once the explosion dissipated, a small crater was formed in the middle of the street were the Gawain and Siegfried were.

(At the harbor)

Once Kallen arrived at the harbor, she hid her Guren Mk-II inside one of the empty warehouses. Carrying a silenced pistol in her hand, Kallen stealthily made her way across the harbor as she headed for the location where the Proto-Gekka's signal was lost. When she arrived at the location, Kallen hid herself in the shadows and saw the Proto-Gekka and the Lancelot Club on the ground, both looking like a pile of scrap heap. She then looked further ahead and saw a Britannian soldier passed out by a light pole. Kallen also saw Rai not too far from the Britannian soldier, who was also lying face down on the ground. When she saw him Kallen immediately ran over to Rai's side, forgetting about securing her presence in the process. She then got down on her knees and tugged on Rai's shoulders, trying to wake him up.

"Come on Rai, wake up! Please, you can't be dead yet!" Kallen pleaded with a sadden look on her face.

Kallen then picked up the unconscious boy and saw a huge blood stain on the side of his shirt. She then tightly held on to him in her arms, while brushing her face through his wild silver hair.

She then suddenly heard footsteps approaching and her mood suddenly changed to a more serious tone. Kallen raised her gun and pointed it at an individual coming out from the shadows of a nearby warehouse, while still catering to Rai with her other arm. The person who came out of the shadows was none other than Suzaku Kururugi, who also had his pistol out and aimed at Kallen.

"Suzaku, what are you doing here?" Kallen demanded.

"I guess I could ask you the same thing but I'm to pick up my partner." Suzaku calmly said as he slowly made his way over to Sai without taking his eyes off of Kallen.

Kallen kept her finger on the trigger, trying to decide if she should fire or not.

"Look Kallen, I won't shoot if you don't. I would rather not kill you if I don't have to."

"Well that's funny, because I remember you almost killed me earlier." Kallen retorted.

"…The situation was different earlier and I let my emotions get the better of me. But right now looking after the safety of my comrades takes top priority."

"Ha, you actually call those Britannians your comrades? You make me sick."

Suzaku didn't answer back and picked up Sai to carry in his arm. He then started to walk away before saying something to Kallen.

"I hope that Rai gets well soon." Suzaku said without turning around.

"You got a lot of nerve to that!" Kallen snapped back and waved her gun at him again, almost deciding to pull the trigger.

"It's the truth. And remember, if you try to shoot me, I'll have no choice but to shoot back and kill the both of you. If you really do care about Rai, you should be trying to get him to the infirmary instead of talking to me."

"Why you…"

Kallen then almost decided to pull the trigger but let go at the last second and pointed her gun away. She then watched as Suzaku disappeared back into the shadows. A few seconds later she saw a white Sutherland with a float system rise up from behind a few warehouses and watched it fly away. Kallen was about to leave and take Rai to Rakshata's medical crew back at the command center until she heard a weak voice calling out to her.

"…K-Kallen…" Rai's voice quietly said.

"Rai…!" Kallen cheerfully said.

"…Heh, that's strange…I can barely see you." Rai's eyes were so blurred from tiredness that it was hard for him to see Kallen's face.

"Shh…you shouldn't talk much right now." Kallen whispered as she placed her finger over Rai's lips.

"You need to sleep for now. Don't worry, I'll take care of the rest. I'll win this battle, for the both of us, for Japan."

"…Whew, well that's a relief." Rai said as he closed his eyes and became silent.

(Lelouch's POV)

Zero arrived from where the crater was formed and saw the Gawain and the Siegfried. There was hardly anything left of the Gawain besides the main body, cockpit, and integrated float system. The Siegfried meanwhile, looked like it was beyond operational. Zero made his way over there and checked the cockpit of the Gawain only to see no one in there.

"Hmm…C.C. is not here…then where did she…?"

Zero was thinking to himself until he heard a noise. He turned to where the sound was coming from and saw Jeremiah slowly crawling out of the Siegfried.

"I'm…not finished…yet…I still have…my duties…" Jeremiah proclaimed as he fell to the floor once he got out.

"Orange…how can you still be alive…?" Zero said surprised as he pulled out his gun and shot at Jeremiah's chest. However the bullet just bounced off of him revealing that he now had a mechanical body.

"How did I survive…through sheer loyalty of course." Jeremiah proclaimed.

"How I hate to hear that. What could the emperor have done to deserve such loyalty?" Zero disgustingly said.

"I need to know the truth. Why, Lelouch vi Britannia, why did you adopt the role of Zero? Why did you betray your homeland? Becoming an enemy of the emperor as a result?"

Jeremiah then revealed a blade from underneath his sleeve and slowly made his way over to Zero who was stepping away from him but continued to fall over from the damage he previously took.

"My father, the Britannian emperor, allowed my mother to be killed! And in doing so, he stole Nunnally's sight, her legs, and our future from us!" Zero yelled out as he took off his mask and showed Jeremiah his true face, one filled with anger.

Jeremiah then looked up from the ground with a shocked look on his face.

"I know…I remember because I was there too."

Hearing that caused Lelouch to form a startled look on his face.

"You were? What do you mean?"

"My first assignment…was to guard her…Lady Marianne…whom I loved and respected! But I failed to carry through with that loyalty! I wasn't able to protect her!" Jeremiah said as he slammed his fists onto the ground.

"So you founded the Pure Bloods then?"

"Master Lelouch, everything is becoming clear to me now! You became Zero for the sake of Lady Marianne, didn't you? She was the only one I served…and now I can die without regret…"

Jeremiah said as he started to fall for the last time but Lelouch caught him.

"Lord Jeremiah…!"

"My prince…"

"Jeremiah Gottwald, your steadfast loyalty is still desperately needed here. There is still much for you to do. Isn't that right?" Lelouch calmly said.

"Indeed…Yes, your majesty."

Hearing that caused Lelouch to form a smirk on his face.

"_Yes, I can definitely use this man to further my own goals. And I know of a perfect role he can fill for me. Yes, that will do…"_

(On the Avalon)

"He's going to be fine. He just banged his head is all. He'll probably wake up in a few hours if we leave him alone." The doctor said after giving Suzaku his report on Sai.

"Well that's good news."

Once Suzaku confirmed that Sai was going to be okay he was given orders from Lady Nonnette to go meet Viceroy Cornelia's in her room, who was still recovering from her showdown with Zero.

"You're Euphie's knight aren't you?" Cornelia asked as she looked over at Suzaku while lying in her bed."

"Yes, I am." Suzaku replied.

"Then you must go and clear her dishonored name! Find Zero, and either capture him or kill him. Those are your orders!"

"Yes, your highness!"

"I know this is a little informal, but I dub thee Knight of Honor of Britannia! You are now knight in both name and station. Now go, Suzaku Kururugi, take down Zero!"

"Yes, your highness!"

Suzaku then bowed his head and took his leave. Once Suzaku was gone Cornelia lied back down on her bed, closed her eyes, and started to rest. As Suzaku headed for the Avalon hanger Nonnette was heading for Euphemia's room.

"Now that I know Viceroy Cornelia is alright, I guess I'll go check on Sub-Viceroy Euphemia."

Nonnette then arrived and opened the door.

"Hello there, have you recovered from you coma yet sub-viceroy Euph…" Nonnette then looked around the room to notice that Princess Euphemia was missing from her quarters.

"Oh, where did she go? Could it be possible that she has awakened?"

(Avalon Hanger)

"This is Suzaku Kururugi, reporting for duty." Suzaku said as he entered the hanger.

"Oh, Suzaku…We heard from Lady Nonnette about your next assignment. We have the Lancelot repaired, but…" Cecile then stopped mid-sentence.

"But what…?" Suzaku questioned.

"We had to make several modifications to it. First off, the arms had to be completely replaced with the Sutherland type arms, which means there is no blaze luminous shield system. Secondly, the armaments for the Lancelot consists only of the slash harkens mounted on the hips and two MVS Swords, there is no Varis Rifle available but we did manage to add one feature we forget to put in earlier. Finally, we weren't able to repair the prototype float system so you'll have to launch once we land."

"Roger that…Umm…"

"Yes, what is it?"

"You're wearing a pilot suit aren't you? Does that mean you'll be heading out to the battlefield as well Miss Cecile?" Suzaku said as he noticed that Cecile was wearing an orange pilot suit.

"Well, while you go after Zero, Lloyd and I will begin operations to bring all citizens aboard the Avalon using the Sutherland Air. I wish good luck to us both."

"Yeah, be careful Miss Cecile."

"You as well Suzaku."

Suzaku then placed his badge of honor signaling his position as Princess Euphemia's knight, headed over to his repaired Lancelot and boarded the cockpit.

"This is Suzaku Kururugi, I'm launching in the Lancelot now."

The launchpad then opened and Suzaku left with the Lancelot landing on the streets of the Tokyo Settlement once more.

"Sir Suzaku, these are the coordinate for the Gawain's last location before its signals were lost. It would be in your best interest to search there first." Lloyd said as he gave Suzaku the location of the Gawain.

"Roger, I'll head there first." Suzaku said as he took the Lancelot and made it head for the crater that was recently formed.

(Back in the Avalon)

"Well, I guess I'll launch as well." Cecile said as she got in the Sutherland Air.

"Make sure you get some good data for me Miss Cecile!" Lloyd said as he awaited the chance to get data on his experimental Sutherland.

"I'll do what I can…but I seriously doubt we'll be able to mass produce everything the Camelot made. Maybe the float system, but it would be too expensive to reproduce the blaze luminous systems."

The Avalon then headed back up into the sky and Cecile launched out in the Sutherland Air as Camelot began its mission of securing the citizens.

(Black Knights Command Center)

Kallen stared at Rai from a distance with a worried look on her face.

"Is Rai going to be okay?" Kallen asked a nearby doctor.

"Hmm…well, he suffered a serious injury on his left side. It seemed that his injury was already healed by someone else but the wound was reopened, causing him much pain."

"What, you mean he already injured and yet he came back on the battlefield anyways?"

"Well, in any case, he's not going to be regaining consciousness for a while still, nor is he going to be moving around much once he does wake up."

"So, he's going to be fine then?"

"Yes."

"Thank goodness." Kallen said relieved.

"Ah, Miss Kozuki, you're needed back on the battlefield." Rakshata said as she entered the room.

"Oh, then I'll be going then." Kallen then took her leave and headed back onto the battlefield in her Guren.

"So, how is he doing?"

"Well Rai is doing just fine. He'll recover in due time. This one possesses a strong will to live, it seems."

"…I wasn't really talking about the pilot, I meant my child, the Proto-Gekka."

"Oh that thing…Well, it's beyond repairs but we might be able to use its spare parts to construct a new frame out of it."

"…While it does sadden me to see one of my children gone it was only a prototype after all. But we did manage to get one of the Earl of Pudding's float systems out of it for future research so it's not a total loss."

(Tokyo Settlement-Near the crater)

"Yeah, that's right. Don't attack Jeremiah's Sutherland. He's on our side now." Zero said to all of his black knight's soldiers.

He then waited by the crater until he saw Jeremiah coming in his Sutherland.

"I have returned my lord!" Jeremiah proudly proclaimed as he approached Zero in his Sutherland, armed with a jousting lance and a giant cannon.

"Good, now we can head back to the command center and..."

Zero was then about to get on the Sutherland when the Lancelot suddenly appeared, while dual-wielding swords in both of its hands.

"Zero, this is the end of the line for you. It's time to turn yourself in and give up on this malicious dream of yours. Your methods are never going to change anything. True peace must come the right way. Your existence in this world was a mistake from the very beginning!"

"Suzaku…why you…!" Zero angrily said.

"Stand back your majesty! I, Jeremiah Gottwald, will make quick of him!" Jeremiah said as he charged his Sutherland forward and striked at the Lancelot with its jousting lance.

The Lancelot blocked the tip of the lance by using its swords to defend itself.

"Lord Jeremiah, is that you? So you're a traitor as well? And you've become a follower of Zero to top it off?" Suzaku said with a shocked expression.

"Suzaku Kururugi, I owe you a debt, I sympathize with you, I respect you, however in this situation, loyalty trumps all!" Jeremiah yelled out as the jousting lance forced the Lancelot back.

Jeremiah then shot out a blast from his giant cannon but the Lancelot moved out of the way in time. He then came forward with the jousting lance again but the Lancelot stopped his charge by hitting the lance with its sword. The two frames were then in a deadlock until the Lancelot backed away to avoid a hand trying to grab him from above. The hand then flew into the ground and created a small dust cloud. Once the dust disappeared Suzaku turned around to see the Guren standing next to Jeremiah's Sutherland.

"Zero, I'm sorry that it took me so long to get here. But I have arrived now to help you. I'll deal with Suzaku." Kallen said as she got the Guren into an attacking position.

"Right, I'll leave Suzaku to you. And don't worry about keeping him alive, I will no longer question him about our would be partnership. Destroy him and that unit once and for all! That's an order!" Zero commanded.

"Roger that!" Kallen said as she had the Guren engage in combat with the Lancelot.

"Come with me my lord!" Jeremiah said as he dropped down his Sutherland's hand for Zero to get on.

Once he was on board Jeremiah and Zero then left the area in the Sutherland.

"Wait come back here!" Suzaku yelled as he tried to give chased but his path was blocked off by the Guren who pushed the Lancelot back.

"You're not going anywhere Suzaku! While you might pilot a machine with good specs and have a large amount of dumb luck on your side that can only take you so far! I'm not as nice as Rai who spared your pathetic life on a whim and I plan on taking you down for good this time!"

"Then let's see you try it then!" Suzaku said as he prepared the MVS Swords in the Lancelot's hands.

The Guren and Lancelot then passed each other, with the Guren's fork knife clashing with the Lancelot's MVS Sword. After both weapons banged off each other, both frames turned around and attacked each other again. As the sword and knife were locked in again the Guren tried to grab the Lancelot with its right arm. Suzaku saw this however and kicked the Guren's right arm away with its left leg and then backed away.

"I have to make sure I avoid being by that mechanism on her right arm, especially since I don't have the blaze luminous shields with me. But I have no choice but to fight up close."

Suzaku then fired the two slash harkens from the Lancelot's hips. Kallen used the slash harken to cancel one of Suzaku's slash harkens out and knocked the other away with the fork knife. After using the harkens as distractions, Suzaku came up from the side and tried to attack the Guren with his MVS Sword. Kallen saw him coming and grabbed the sword with the radiation surger hand. She then activated the radiation wave and Suzaku's sword started to crack and crumble. Suzaku then made the Lancelot let go of his broken sword and swung with the other one. Kallen blocked it with the fork knife so Suzaku decided to punch the Guren with Lancelot's free hand, causing the Lancelot's fist to have a dent in the process. The Guren then started to fall backwards but Kallen made her knightmare jump away and regain its posture.

"…Erg…She's just too strong, but I can't lose here." Suzaku commented to himself.

"It's about time I destroyed you and that knightmare!" Kallen roared as she charged with the fork knife ready to strike.

Suzaku was ready to go with his single sword but Kallen's charge was just a feint as when the fork knife and sword were about to hit each other Kallen and her knightmare ducked at the last moment. The Guren then came back up and kicked the sword away. Kallen then grabbed the Lancelot's head with the Guren's right arm.

"Even with a weaker radiation surger, this will still knock you in one blow. I hope you're ready to die Suzaku!"

"…D-Die…?" Suzaku questioned as his eyes started to form red rings around them.

"Sorry Kallen, but I can't die yet! This is goodbye!" Suzaku yelled as he activated the ejection system Cecile had recently installed in the Lancelot.

Suzaku then watched Kallen activate the radiation wave on the Lancelot as the cockpit flew away. The Lancelot was completely and utterly destroyed by the Kallen's attack and reduced to a pile of scrap heap with Kallen's Guren the only thing left standing.

"I won…but this is far from over!" Kallen said as she slowly breathed after her short but difficult battle.

(Black Knights Command Center)

"Yes, we just need to push a little bit further and the Bureau will be ours. With Cornelia out of the way the only forces left are her royal guards surrounding the Bureau. Once we have that location, our victory will be assured." Zero confidently said.

"Zero, your Burai is prepared and ready to go." Ohgi said as he approached Zero.

"Excellent, then I'll head back onto the battlefield and guide everyone from there. Victory is within our grasp."

"Right…"

As Zero was heading for his Burai he looked through the window of the student council room to see Nunnally sitting in her wheelchair with the rest of the student council members. He specifically requested Milly to keep a constant watch over his sister until the Black Rebellion was finished.

"_Just wait a little bit longer Nunnally; soon we'll have our own place where we can be happy, away from Britannia."_ Lelouch whispered under his mask.

Zero then boarded the cockpit of his Burai and headed out along with Jeremiah's Sutherland and the Burai of a few other Black Knights soldiers as his guards.

As they left a few of the remaining members stared at Jeremiah's Sutherland in disbelief.

"Is that guy really on our side now?"

"I guess the rumors about Orange were true after all."

When Zero arrived close towards the Bureau he immediately started thinking of ways he could capture the locations.

"Hmmm…they fortified themselves well. However, a well devised tactic is all I need to deal with them quickly. This is checkmate."

Zero was then about to move into action until he heard a familiar voice speaking on all communication lines and on all broadcasting stations.

"This is Euphemia li Britannia…I am ordering all Britannian military personal to cease fire and to retreat at once. We will be boarding the Avalon and leave Area 11 once everyone makes it back safely."

"Euphie…you're…" Zero said shocked to hear Euphemia's voice.

The Britannian soldiers however, were skeptical at first and didn't know whether or not to follow Euphemia's orders.

"You heard the Sub-Viceroy…All Britannian forces retreat immediately!" Nonnette voice commanded as she stood next to Euphemia.

Once they heard Nonnette's voice all the Britannia's soldiers began moving back towards the Avalon, which was landing in front of the Bureau. Even Guilford and the Glaston Knights, who were fighting Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords in an unmovable stalemate, started to head back.

"Zero, should we move in and take them all out at once?" Tohdoh questioned Zero who was ready to move in.

"No, all of our forces will halt where we are and wait to see what the Britannians do. Once we know their true objective, then we'll take action." Zero order resounded.

"_Euphie…what are you up to now?"_ Lelouch wondered to himself.

(On the Avalon)

"Is this really what you want sub-viceroy?" Nonnette asked Euphemia who was looking out the window.

"Yes, this will do. It's just that…when I came to I saw the Britannians and the Japanese fighting each other. Although I don't remember much of it I didn't think something like this would result from the Special Zone. I was just trying to make everyone happy."

"It was a smart thing of you to do to order our soldiers to return. If we stood out there any longer we probably would have been wiped out before our reinforcement from the homeland arrived and we can't expend our soldiers. Britannia really does have it hands full right now. Our other Areas are started rebellions of their own and even the Chinese Federation and the E.U. are taken actions well. For now, we're going to have to surrender Area 11 to Zero and deal with him later, even though it's going to cost us big time in doing so." After saying what she wanted to say Nonnette took her leave and left the main room to go report this to Cornelia.

Meanwhile, Euphemia continued to look outside the glass window.

"_Lelouch, while I don't remember what happened you used the special zone as a way to exact revenge against Britannia, didn't you? I guess you're rage against Britannia was real after all. All I wanted was for you, me, and Nunnally to be together again, like the old times. But, for whatever reasons, you chose to push me away to bring Nunnally happiness in your own way. Even so, if that is the case, I will still support you Lelouch in any way I can from the shadows of Britannia, even if that means dragging the Britannians away from Japan. I only wish that I could see you and Nunnally's face one last time before I go." _Euphemia solemnly thought to herself as tears started to roll down her eyes.

(Britannia Government Bureau)

Once all of Britannian's forces, as well as the nobles and any other Britannian in the settlement who wanted to leave, went aboard the Avalon the airship left the ground and started to leave Area 11. Several Britannians around Area 11 started to leave as well once they heard of Euphemia surrendering Area 11 to Zero, getting on boats and airplanes to head back to the homeland.

Zero then arrived at the top of the government bureau along with Jeremiah and his Sutherland, Tohdoh and his Gekka, the Four Holy Sword and their Gekka, and a few other Black Knights soldiers and their Burai. After taking one last look at the Avalon, Zero saw Euphemia staring at him through the glass window and stared back at her.

"_Euphie, you did all of this for me didn't you, or rather, you did this for Nunnally and me…Thank you…"_

The Avalon then started to leave Area 11 and once Zero couldn't see Euphemia anymore he started to walk towards the edge of the roof. Jeremiah then lifted Zero with the hands of the Sutherlands and presented him to the people still remaining in the now devastated settlement from on top of the rooftop as Zero held a microphone in his hand.

"People of Japan…Have no fear…I have successfully triumphed over Britannia…We, the Black Knights, have driven them away from your country…We can now all live in peace...together, in a new country…that shall be called…The United States of Japan!" Zero shouted out the name of his new country.

Meanwhile Diethard stood in a helicopter that was hovering around the government bureau. He held a video camera in his hand as he was recording Zero's victory over the Britannia with a gleeful smile on his face.

"Yes, show me, show everyone your charisma, let the whole world know of your existence!"

"In the United States of Japan, everyone will be treated with the same respect and dignity…Race, ideology, and religion will not be criticized…Everyone will be welcome to come, as there is only one requirement…to treat everyone with kindness and dignity…I welcome everyone with open arms as we create this new nation together…! Zero then flapped open his cape and spread his arms out.

Meanwhile everyone in the country started to cheer for Zero, which could even be heard all the way over at Kamine Island.

(?)

Somewhere on Kamine Island, a woman with dark blue hair sits quietly as she murmured something to herself.

"I see, so it's done then…"

A smile then formed on the woman's face.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	25. Chapter 25

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 25: In the End

The area surrounding him had an ocean blue type of scenery, as if everything was underwater. That is what Rai thought as he sat at the edge of a cliff while looking out to the ocean spread out in front of him. At the very end of the horizon Rai could the sky split in two. One half showed the night sky with the moon coming down. The other half showed the morning blue sky with the sun starting to rise up. Rai sat there quietly, staring at the beautiful setting in front of him, as if time has just stopped and the image Rai was looking at was a picture frame.

"Gorgeous, is it not?" E.E. voice said as she appeared out of nowhere.

Rai turned around for a second to see the dark blue haired woman standing a fair distance behind him. Once he confirmed her existence he turned back around to look at the scenery again.

"Yeah…" Rai replied to E.E.'s question.

"The moon and the sun…Each taking turns to watch over this place. As the moon goes down, the sun rises, signaling life to wake up, come outside and be active, giving life the energy it needs to do the day's activities. Once the sun does its job, it retreats and let the moon appear to do its work. With the moon, it cools life down, saying it's time to rest back at home, a moment to be quiet, silent. And the cycle continues, each rotating shifts constantly, for all eternity. But when both are together like this, you can tell why they are the perfect match for each other. You wouldn't agree with any other pairings to watch over this planet."

While E.E. was speaking, Rai sat there quietly and listened to her.

"Maybe someday I'll take you to this spot in the real world and you can see the moon and the sun together at the same time instead of this cheap imitation. Seeing it with your own two eyes will make the scenery much more appealing and satisfying."

"Yeah, I would like that." Rai answered.

"…Well, it's time for you to wake up from this dream now. You've been here long enough. There are still things you need to do. The red sun is waiting for you. And remember, our consciousness is always linked together, but you know where to go if you ever need me, for anything."

E.E.'s form then started to fade away as she finished speaking her last sentence. Once she was completely gone the area surrounding Rai started to fade into nothingness as well.

"…I guess she's right. I might as well wake up." Rai said as he stood up and look around the white snow like area the place has become.

As Rai awakened from his dream, he opened his eyes to find himself covered in bandages including one around his forehead while lying in a hospital bed. To his right Rai looked out the window to see it was already noon. Rai then felt a sharp pain in his side for attempting to twist around in the bed so much but all of that seemed to have disappeared when he turned to his left and saw Kallen sitting in a chair close to his bed, her face filled with tears. Even though tears were constantly running down her now red brimming face she still looked truly lovely to Rai. Just the sight of her looking like that caused Rai to smile.

Rai then rose up from his bed and reached out his left hand, placing it on Kallen's right cheek and stopping a tear from rolling down with his thumb. By just simply touching her face Rai could feel the warmth of her body from her cheek.

"Hi." Rai casually said.

"…Hi." Kallen softly replied.

After a moment of resting her head on hand, Kallen reached up and grasped Rai's hand with both of hers. She then got up and went right next to Rai's side, placing her arms around him, while their cheeks touched each other. In return Rai placed his arms around Kallen, bringing her close to him and hugging her in return.

"So, I really am still alive huh?"

"Yeah…" Kallen said weakly.

"Back then I really thought it was going to be the end of me. So, who won?"

"…We won, of course." Kallen said as a proud smile started to form on her face.

"I see…"

Rai then heard the sound of a television playing in the room. Placed on a stand was a small television. On the television screen was Zero who seemed to be at a press making plans of the reconstruction for the making of the United States of Japan.

After a moment of being grappled together in silence the two slowly let go while staring into each other's eyes. Kallen was looking at Rai with a pleasant smile on her face but soon her face turned one that looked upset which caught Rai off guard.

"How could you go out and fight when you were injured?"

"W-what…Where did you hear that from?" Rai said in confusement as he wondered how Kallen figured that out.

"The doctor's report claim that you were injured before heading out to the battlefield in your knightmare. Is that true Rai?"

"…Yes." Rai said after a moment of silent.

"How did you get injured?"

"…I was shot by a Britannian during the massacre."

"I knew it! And yet you decided to go out there in the condition you were in? Just what were you trying to prove?"

"I was only thinking about doing what I can to help you."

"Well look at you now. Now you're stuck in a hospital bed for about seven more days. You shouldn't be risking your life like that. Do you want to keep being in situations like this?"

Rai didn't answer her question and just looked down.

"But, even now…I'm just glad that you're alive…" Kallen softly said as she looked at him with eyes full of endearment which caused Rai to look back up at her face.

"Oh yes, I made something for you to eat." Kallen said as she stood up and walked over a counter. She then picked up the two bentos that were placed there and walked back over to Rai.

"I figured you would like to eat something I made instead of the crap these hospitals serve."

"Well, that's certainly true." Rai said in agreement.

Kallen then handed Rai one of the bento and the two began to eat together. As they were eating though, Kallen noticed that Rai was having a hard time using his chopsticks, as his hands kept fidgeting around. Kallen then realized that his arm still haven't fully recovered and decided to help him out. She picked up some food with her chopsticks and stuffed it into Rai's mouth, which caught him by surprise.

"W-What are you doing Kallen?" Rai said as he looked over at her while trying to swallow everything Kallen put in his mouth.

"You have to eat. Food gives you strength and energy. You don't want to sit in a hospital bed forever do you?"

"No, but are you…feeding me?" Rai said as he looked down in embarrassment.

Hearing him say that also caused Kallen to look away in embarrassment.

"Because...it looked like you needed some help there since you weren't able to hold those chopstick correctly."

"…Well, I guess my hands aren't exactly stable yet." Rai said as he looked down at his hands which were still shacking.

They both then went back to eating their lunches. Once they were finished eating Kallen decided to stay and keep Rai company for the rest of the day until visiting hours were over.

"Well, I think it's time for me to go. Visiting hours will be closing soon."

"Yeah…"

"I'll be back tomorrow okay?"

"You're coming here tomorrow as well."

"Sure, I'll come see you every day until they'll let you out of here. So, goodbye."

"Yeah, bye."

After giving each other a wave goodbye Kallen left Rai's room. But she kept coming back to the hospital everyday to visit Rai and keep him company. Besides Kallen other people came to visit Rai on various days of the week as well including Milly, Shirley, and Rivalz, Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords, Kaguya, and even people from Kallen's former resistance group.

(7 days later)

As Rai was reading a magazine he heard a knock on his door. The door then opened and the person who came in was none other than Zero himself.

"Hello there Rai."

"Hello…Zero."

Zero then closed the curtains before sitting down on a nearby chair and then took off his mask, revealing himself as Lelouch.

"Do you really think you should be taking your mask off in a place like this?" Rai cautiously said.

"It's fine. We're on the third floor. It's not like anyone is going to see me up here. And even though my Geass has gone haywire it won't work on you since I've already used it on you."

"_Someone is pretty confident…"_ Rai thought to himself.

"So, how are you feeling, getting any better?" Lelouch asked.

"Little by little, but thankfully I'll be out of here by tomorrow." Rai said.

"I see…I'm sorry that I wasn't able to come visit you until now. I've been very busy in setting up the United States of Japan and lining up the new organization for the Black Knights that I've had no time for anything else."

"So how is that going?" Rai questioned.

"Reconstruction is going well. We should have the Tokyo Settlement back up in no time. The other places however might take a little longer since we're mostly focusing on Tokyo and the places around Mt. Fuji first."

Lelouch voice then quickly turned into a more serious tone.

"Now back to the new organization of the Black Knights, there's something I've wanted to ask you about that."

"I'm starting to think that's the real reason why you came here." Rai jokingly said.

"This is serious...I need to know…are you…"

(Meanwhile, down the hallway of the third floor)

Kallen was making her way down to Rai's room while carrying two bentos around her arms.

"_I hope Rai likes what I made for him today."_ Kallen thought to herself as she made her way down the hallway.

When she arrived in front of his door she was about to open it when she heard Zero's voice inside the room, who seemed to be talking to Rai about something. Kallen was then about to knock on the door before letting herself in when she heard Zero say something that caused her whole body to freeze up.

"Are you really going to leave the Black Knights?" Kallen heard Zero ask.

"Yes." That was the response she heard Rai give to Zero.

"Are you really sure about this?"

"I'm done with what I came here to do. There's no reason for me to remain in the Black Knights anymore. My time here in Japan…is over."

After hearing Rai say those words a look of horror formed on Kallen's face. And then, without her even knowing, the bentos she was carrying fell out of her arm and onto the floor, with the boxes cracked open and the food falling onto the floor. But Kallen didn't seem to care and quickly started to walk away, leaving the hospital, with tears in her eyes.

(Back in Rai's hospital room)

"Are you really going to leave the Black Knights?" Lelouch asked.

"Yes." Rai replied.

"Are you really sure about this?" Lelouch asked again in a more serious tone.

"I'm done with what I came here to do. There's no reason for me to remain in the Black Knights anymore. My time here in Japan is over."

"Is that so…well I won't stop you. Although truth be told…" Before Lelouch could finish his sentence they both heard a loud crash outside Rai's door, as if someone has dropped something.

"I wonder what that was." Rai questioned.

"It was probably just a nurse who dropped a tray of food for someone. Anyways…" Lelouch continued on talking as if the accident outside didn't happen.

"As I was saying, while I personally wish you would stay in the Black Knights, I won't stop you from doing what you think is the correct course of action for yourself. But would any of this have to do with 'her' now would it?"

"That's none of your concern. It's something that I have to deal with myself. And regarding the Black Knights, from the very beginning, everything I did wasn't for Zero, I acted based on what I believe was the right thing to do, even if it meant looking like a criminal to the world. You and I walk similar but different paths. While I cannot walk the right sided path of a righteous loyal knight, at the same time though, I refuse to walk down the left path and use under-handed tactics a noble demon would use either. The path I walk…is straight down the middle."

"…Well, that's fine too…As long as you don't become my enemy that is."

"Hmph…"

The two then continued on talking for a little while longer, talking about subjects like how the United States of Japan will run and how the new lineups of leaders for the Black Knights structure. Once Lelouch had to go he put his Zero mask back on and bid Rai farewell. Lelouch then left the room to go back to attending his work as Zero.

(The next day)

The next morning when Rai woke up he was relieved to know that he is finally allowed to check out of the hospital. Rai rose from bed, put on the Ashford uniform that Milly brought for him a few days ago, and headed out of the room. Since everything was already taken care of by Zero himself, Rai was free to walk out the front exit. As he came out of the hospital Rai looked around to see that several buildings around the Tokyo Settlement that were destroyed during the Black Rebellion were well on their way of being rebuilt. Rai then looked up at the sky to see it was a clear bright day today.

"_Yep, this is definitely the sky of Japan." _Rai thought to himself.

He then made his way back to Ashford Academy, all while taking several detours across the now reconstructed Tokyo Settlement, seeing all the scars the Black Rebellion caused along the way.

After several sightseeing trips across the settlement, Rai finally arrived at Ashford Academy, which was one of the only locations in the settlement that didn't receive any casualties during the Black Rebellion.

Ashford Academy, after the Black Rebellion more than half of the students attending left with their families to go back to the homeland. The ones who staid were mostly Britannian commoners who had nothing against the Japanese and since the United States of Japan offered equality to everyone, including Britannians, they didn't mind one way or another about leaving or staying put.

As Rai entered the front gates he couldn't help but notice how deserted the campus has become. The academy that was once filled with lively and wholehearted students has now become a desecrated environment. Since the campus was closed down for now due to reconstruction the students all returned to their families for the time being. Rai then made his way over to the clubhouse, as Lelouch had called him earlier when he was traversing the settlement to come over to the student council room sometime today.

Once Rai entered the clubhouse he began walking down the familiar hallway he knows all so well. When he opened the door for the student council room and walked in he was suddenly caught off in surprise when several people in the room jumped him.

"Welcome back Rai!"

Rai, who was caught off guard, took a few steps back when everyone congratulated his return. Milly, Shirley, Rivalz, Nunnally, and even Lelouch, who seemed to be taking time off as Zero and leaving pressing matters to Diethard, Ohgi, and Kirihara, were here. Rai also noticed that Lelouch was wearing an eye patch over his left eye, probably to hide his uncontrollable Geass power away from everyone else.

"W-What are we celebrating here?" Rai asked.

"Why, your recovery from the hospital!" Shirley pointed out.

"…Do we really need to celebrate something like that?"

"Well, of course we do. Since several of the student body has left the country or went home for the time being because of Zero's take over the Blue Moon Festival had to be canceled. So instead we're just going to have our own little thing here in the student council room." Milly proudfully said.

On the table there seemed to pizza, chips, juice, and all other sorts of stuff.

"I do wish the other student council members were here though." Milly said with a sigh.

"Huh…what do you mean Milly?" Rai asked confused.

"Well, Suzaku left because he is part of the Britannian Military, Nina left for the homeland with some other students because of her well, you know, xenophobic nature, and Kallen was here earlier but left for whatever reason."

"Oh, is that so…"

The group in the student council room spent the entire day together, eating, talking, and playing board games with other.

(Rai's Room)

Once it was evening everyone in the student council room went home and Rai decided to head back to his room as well. When he entered his room he opened the door to his closet and started to search through his stuff in there. In the back he pulled out the Kusanagi Blade, the sword that he had hidden in there ever since Kaguya handed him the weapon. Up until now Rai was using his old katana that he found in the ghettos shortly after regaining his memories in order to keep the Kusanagi Blade a secret to everyone else since he didn't want it to be revealed just yet. Rai then placed the Kusanagi Blade on his bed and started to change into a new uniform.

A few minutes later Rai stood in front of the clubhouse with a new attire on. His new uniform looked exactly like the Ashford uniform except the golden trims and the Ashford symbol were missing. Also, Rai carried the Kusanagi Blade strapped to his back the same way he carried his old katana blade. And finally, along with the bandages still wrapped around his forehead Rai was currently wearing a brown colored poncho. Rai took one last look at the clubhouse and was about to walk away when he heard a voice call out to him.

"Going somewhere Rai Sumeragi?"

Rai then looked over at the garden and saw that it was Jeremiah Gottwald who called out to him. Standing in front of him in a wheelchair was Nunnally. Since Jeremiah decided to team up with Lelouch he was instructed to be Nunnally's bodyguard at all times and keep watch over her when Sayoko or Lelouch himself was not around.

"_He just might be better suited to be Nunnally's protector than Suzaku or me…"_ Rai silently admitted to himself.

Rai then made his way over to the garden.

"I'm going to be heading out for a while." Rai said.

"Oh, are you leaving to go do something?" Nunnally kindly ask.

"Yes, and I won't be back for a while. But don't worry Nunnally, you have Jeremiah here to keep you company until your brother returns home."

"Well, that's true."

"Don't worry; you can count on me, Jeremiah Gottwald, to do the job well." Jeremiah said with a salute.

After giving his goodbyes to Jeremiah and Nunnally, Rai headed for the school entrance where Milly was standing, apparently waiting for him.

"So, you really are leaving."

"Yes, I remembered…I remembered that there is something I have to go do. I do give you my thanks for all the hospitality you have given me during my time of need."

Rai then gave Milly a short bow.

"Oh, it was nothing. We are friends after all." Milly replied.

"Yeah…"

"When I first met you were just the quiet guy who had no clue as to who he was. But I always believe you were someone special, and what do you know, I was right…I mean, look at you now, you look like you could take on the whole world now." Milly said with a smile on her face.

"Well, I don't know if I could on the whole world per se…"

"Anyways, just remember, if you ever run into any trouble along the way you can always come to the Ashfords for help. Just say you know Milly Ashford, and they'll help you."

"I'll make sure to remember that…Well; I guess I better get going."

Rai was then about to walk away when Milly suddenly stopped him.

"Oh yes, there's one last thing I would like to say to you."

"What would that be?"

"GOOD LUCK…!" Milly shouted out the highest pitch of her voice which caused Rai's face to cringe.

"One of your special pep chants huh…?"

"Yep, just my way of saying good bye to you…Rai Sumeragi."

"Well, good bye then, Milly Ashford."

After giving Milly one final bow he took his leave and headed for the port where Zero and Kaguya were waiting for him. By the time he arrived it was already sunset.

"There you are Rai. I have a boat ready for you to use." Zero said as he pointed to boat sitting in the water by the docks.

"Aww…Are you really leaving oni-chan?" Kaguya asked with a sad look on her face.

"Yes, I'm afraid so. My time here has come to an end for now."

After Rai gave her a response Kaguya walked over to him and gave him a tight hug.

"Then can you promise to come back and visit me sometimes. And then we can walk to the Sumeragi Shrine again sometimes."

"Yes, I will definitely come back and walk to the Sumeragi Shrine with you someday. And that's a promise." Rai said reassuring.

"Okay, but I'm holding you up to that promise then." Kaguya responded back.

Rai then moved away from Kaguya's embraced, gave her a final farewell and she departed from the area afterwards. Rai then looked over at Zero who, even though he was hiding his face behind the mask, looked like he had something to say.

"All I have left to say is good luck on the challenges that are to come. And remember, this place will always be your home. I will use all of my power to protect this place. It has become my duty to do so. And while it's true that the Britannians will be back here again someday to reclaim what they think is theirs, I will be ready for them when that time comes."

"Well someone seems to be taking responsibility for their actions."

"It's the least I can do for these people, the Japanese. It is a shame though…"

"What is…?"

"Suzaku Kururugi…he left with the Britannian soldiers. I really thought he would stay and join me if I freed Area 11 but…Apparently, he doesn't want to live in a country that wasn't brought out _the right way_, or so he says. Also, he doesn't seem to like Zero, who he believes is the reason Euphemia's plan failed in misery."

"So, in the end, Suzaku still wants to play the role of the heroic knight in shining white armor."

"That's probably the best way to sum it up. And then there's C.C.'s disappearance."

"What happened to her?"

"During the fight with the Siegfried she sacrificed herself to save me. But I'm not too worried about C.C., knowing her, she'll probably come back when I least expect it."

"Well, that's how she usually is."

There was then a long pause between them before Zero started speaking again.

"Well, this is farewell…for now. We'll most likely meet again some other time."

"Yeah…"

"But, I'm not the last person you need to say goodbye to."

"Huh…?"

Zero then pointed over at the docks where the boat was and there was a girl with red hair standing at the edge of the docks.

"Oh boy…I don't know if I'm going to be able to say bye to her…"

"Well, good luck with that." Zero said as he placed his hand on Rai's shoulder and then started to leave the area.

Rai then made his way over to the docks where Kallen was waiting to speak to him.

"So, are you really leaving Japan?" Kallen asked with sad eyes...

"Yeah…No matter how enjoyable the detour was, eventually one must return to their appointed path."

"But even so…I knew that nothing I would say would stop you from leaving. But there is something I have to say to you before you leave."

"What would that be?"

"You'll have to close your eyes first."

"Why do I have to close my eyes?"

"Just do it." Kallen demanded.

"…Okay then." Rai said as he closed his eyes just as Kallen instructed.

Kallen then looked at the silver haired boy and noticed how vulnerable he was compared to any other time when he seemed to always have his guard up. She then reached her hands out and grabbed Rai's face, which caused him to flinch for a second. Kallen then pulled his face closer to hers, pressed her lips up against his, closed her eyes, and kissed him passionately.

Once Kallen forced herself back she placed her hands around Rai's shoulders, leaned herself on him, and rested her head on his chest. Rai then placed his arms around Kallen and held her close to them. After a moment of silence Kallen looked up at Rai's face and they both looked into each other's blue eyes.

"I just want to say that…I like you…a lot…Rai-kun..." Kallen said as she got the words out.

"…Yeah well, I like you a lot too…Kallen-chan…" Rai responded.

The two then continued to stare at each other until they finally started to break away from each other. Kallen then picked up a katana that was lying by her feet.

"Oh yes, I found this around the port earlier. This belongs to you right?" Kallen said as she presented the blade to Rai.

"Yes, it is. But I don't need it anymore. In fact, I'll let you keep as something to remember me by."

Rai then placed the katana back into Kallen's hands.

"Well I guess it's time to say goodbye." Rai said as he headed for his boat.

"Yeah, but I refuse say goodbye to you Rai…I won't say it…I won't…But I will see you again someday." Kallen said as she tried to fight back her tears.

"Yes, I will definitely see you again someday Kallen. I will return to Japan once everything is settled."

Kallen then stood right behind him and hit in the back with the hilt of Rai's katana which knocked him on board of the boat.

"Well if you're going to go then go already! Stop making this any harder on me than it already is!"

"Yeah, I know."

The boat Rai was on set sail and started to head out towards the ocean. Kallen watched as the boat slowly headed out to sea while clenching Rai's katana to her chest. She continued to watch as the boat disappeared the same time the sun disappeared and the night sky formed in the sky. Once the boat was no longer visible Kallen headed home where her real mother, who was released from prison after the Black Rebellion, and Ohgi, who occasionally visits her mother and is helping her get back to a normal life, were at. Kallen then went up to her room and placed the katana on her desk, located in the middle where she will always be able to see it. She sat down on her bed and looked at all the photos hanging on her board on the wall. There were pictures of her family, the entire student council together, pictures of her former resistance cell before and after they joined the Black Knights, and she especially looked at the one of herself and the Guren Mk II with Rai and the Proto-Gekka before it was destroyed. She then looked up and the ceiling and started to fall asleep, with tears rolling down her face.

(Meanwhile, when nightfall reached the Britannian Homeland)

After being asked to come out for a small meeting at a Britannian bay, Oiaguro Zevon, head of the Zevon family and secretly a supporter of Peace Mark, arrived at the specific meeting spot with the recently built prototype knightmare frame, Agravain. After spending several minutes of waiting he noticed his visitor coming out from behind a box of containers.

"So, you wanted to speak to me?" Oiaguro Zevon asked as the man wearing a black leather battlesuit and black leather mask approached him.

"Yes, there are some things that I been asked to tell you."

"Before we speak any further you'll have to take off that mask of yours so I can confirm your identity." Wizard ordered.

"Oh, please forgive me my good friend; I sometime forget I'm even wearing this thing."

The man then quickly slipped his mask off so Wizard could get a good look at his face. Once Wizard could confirm who he was talking to the man quickly pulled the mask over his face again.

"I'm sorry I had to do that but I had to make sure I knew who I was talking to. Now, about this secret meeting you wanted, what is this about?"

"Yes, there are some things I needed to discuss with you in private about."

The masked man then looked over at the Wizard's knightmare.

"Is that the new prototype your family has been working on?"

"Yes, it has all the newest technology installed into it. Although there are some things we're still trying to fix with it."

"I see, maybe you should let my group have a look at it. Anyways, back to what I wanted to talk to you about…"

The Wizard and the masked man then started to discuss Britannian's current affairs and how Zero took Area 11 and created the United States of Japan, how Britannia is going to deal with not only Japan but the E.U. and Chinese Federation as well and then about his own plans.

"So, you had to cancel your first plan?" The Wizard said.

"Yes, but I recently formulated a new plan."

"Really, when will you commence the new one?"

"Right now…"

The masked man then pulled out a gun and shot the Wizard's left shoulder which caused him to crouch down.

"W-What are you…?"

Before the Wizard could finish his sentence the masked man pulled out a sword and stabbed Wizard right in the chest where his heart was.

"I'm sorry my dear friend, but while you were helpful to the Emperor and Britannia for always doing all the dirty jobs behind the shadows, you're no longer needed anymore. This means, your support to the worldwide terrorist organization, Peace Mark, is also no longer necessary either. And without you supporting them in the background, that organization is as good as finished. But don't worry my good friend; the Britannian organization, Pluton, the knightmare frame Agravain, and Oldrin Zevon are all part of my plan now. They will make nice additions to my deck of playing cards so you don't have to worry about them being wasted. You can finally rest at ease in C's World and forget about all the horrible things you did to your family, like killing your older sister and for abandoning Orpheus Zevon. And now with the blade called the Gram, a legendary weapon used in the Eight Holy Saints War, your life shall cease to exist!"

The masked man then drove the Gram deeper into the Wizard's chest and popped out of the Wizard's back, with his heart attached to the tip of the blade and blood soaking down the metal sword. The masked man then pulled the Gram out of the Wizard's and body and watched as his former friend's lifeless body fell to the ground of the docks.

"Put your regrets behind and rest in peace my friend. You may die now…"

The masked man then got a duffel bag out and stuffed the Wizard's cold lifeless body into it. He then pulled out his phone, called one of his co-workers to come pick up the body, and ordered a cremated ceremony later. He then boarded the Agravain and noticed the activation key was already in.

"My, what a magnificent machine Oiaguro Zevon. Truly astounding…I will definitely make good use out of this machine and perfect it. Now, I just have to make one more visit…"

The Agravain then flew into the air and headed off for one of his research facilities.

As he sat down at a small table at the end of a long hallway, a person opened the door and entered the room.

"I have returned to give you my report." The one who entered the room was Sai.

"Oh, it's you. Come over here then." The masked man said as he offered Sai a chair.

Sai then walked down the hallway which had pillars on both sides and sat down in the chair that was offered to him.

"Umm…Sir, why are you dressed like that and wearing a leather mask over your head?" This was the first thing Sai asked.

"Why do you have such a nasty scar across the left side of your face?" The masked figure responded which caused Sai to try to hide with his hand.

"Oh this…I uh…received this while I was in Area 11…It's a mark to remind me of the mistakes I made and to force myself to do better next time." Sai said as he revealed the burning looking scar across his face.

"Please, stop talking about your hideous scar. I didn't ask you to come here so we could discuss that. I need to know if you found any clues to the Sumeragi's Legacy."

"Well, I'm sorry I couldn't find it for you. But I do think there's someone who knows about it."

"Who knows it then…?"

Even though the masked figure asked that question he already knew all the answers regarding Sumeragi's Legacy.

"There's a guy called Rai Sumeragi…I'm positive he knows something about it."

"I see…good work…you're relieved from your duties as Sai. You can go back to being Michael Steinburg now."

"W-What a minute! You don't want me to continue investigating this?" Sai said surprised.

"From now I'll deal with this personally. You can go back to your normal duties with whoever you want."

Even though Sai thought that this was strange, he didn't question back about anything.

"In that case…can I continue to work with Suzaku Kururugi and the Camelot Crew?"

"Yeah, sure, go ahead." The masked man said in an uninterested tone and then stood up to leave.

"Well I need to get going now. I'm a very busy man you know."

The masked man and Sai then left the building and went their own separate ways.

(Back in Area 11: On a mountainside overlooking the city of Narita)

As he stood on a mountaintop overlooking the city of Narita, V.V. stared down at the city while holding a switch in his hand.

"Well, now that Zero has control of Area 11 we can't risk him discovering that secret institute underneath the city. Oh well…" V.V. said as he pushed the button on the switcholder.

As soon as he did the mines containing Sakuradite in them went off and a pink explosion engulfing the while city blew in flames. When the explosion cleared the entire city and the research institute beneath it was wiped away from existence, nothing remaining.

"So much for that, shall we get going Miss Viletta Nu?" V.V. asked the woman standing right next to him.

Viletta Nu, a dark skinned Britannian who a former member of the Purist Faction. After Jeremiah's defeat at the Narita Mountains she went out on a search to find the true identity of Zero and capture him. Using Shirley Fennette, she was able to find out Zero's true identity as Lelouch Lamperouge. However, just as she was about to capture an unconscious Lelouch, Shirley protected him and shot Viletta with a gun which forced to flee and was later fell unconscious. When she awakened Viletta found herself with her memories missing and under the care of Kaname Ohgi, who couldn't bring himself to turn her in to the police or kill her. And then during the Black Rebellion V.V. was walking around the Ghettos when he saw her looking out the window of a house. Seeing that it was strange for a Britannian to live out in the ghettos with the Elevens V.V. entered the house and discovered that she had lost her memories. By using the power of the Code, V.V. returned Viletta's memories and both of them escaped the ghettos together. V.V. then figured that he might be able to make some use out of her.

"So if I tell the emperor about Zero's true identity and his supernatural power of controlling people and their memories, will I receive my title as Baroness?" Viletta asked the small child.

"Yes, and I can confirm that last part with the Charles about controlling people and their memories. Marianne's son may think he's smart and confident about taking Area 11 but that doesn't really matter to us. He only just managed to slow us down a year or two. What may be a big victory for him is an insignificant little lost to us. And having Jeremiah on his side won't help him much either, seeing as he doesn't know much about me or the time he spent being reconstructed in the labs. Well, we better get going. I'll need help gaining entrance to an airplane since I am just a child after all."

After giggling to himself V.V. and Viletta left Japan on the next air flight.

(The next night at Kamine Island)

It took Rai a full day to get to Kamine Island by boat. By the time he reached shore it was already dark outside with the moon glowing in the sky. Rai exited the boat and jumped down onto the beach. He then made his way across the beach and onto the path that led to a cave he remembered going into before. When he entered Rai noticed the ancient pillars were still crumbled on the ground. As he made his way further into the cave he finally arrived at the heart of the cave, where a pedestal lied at the center of what looked like a stage and the hole in the ceiling. Rai then walked up to the pedestal and placed his hand on top of it. His Geass then activated by itself and the hieroglyphs in the room started to glow red as a door like structure started to open up at the end of the cave. Coming out of the door was a young woman with dark blue hair, golden-brown eyes who wore a silver light-weighted coat and silver colored slacks. Once she arrived on the ancient stage the door behind her closed and the moon's ray of light shined into the hole in the ceiling, down upon her. To Rai she looked like the personification of the moon itself.

"So, you've finally summoned me. That means you must have succeeded then, right?" The girl calmly asks.

"Yes E.E., the first stage has been cleared."

"Hmm…I am a little suspicious about leaving a Britannian Prince in charge of Japan but C.C. told me it's genuine so…I shall permit it…for now anyways…"

E.E. then looked at the weapon Rai was carrying around his back."

"That weapon…it's the Kusanagi Blade isn't it?"

"Yes, I picked it up while I was in Japan. I'm going to need it for what lies ahead."

"The blade that is said to be able to cut through anything…the god-slayer…Kusanagi. But I wonder…will you be able to master such a legendary weapon…like Shizuka did?"

"I'll do what I can with it."

"If you want to use Kusanagi to its fullest potential you'll have to be both physically and mentally prepared to wield it. But that shouldn't be a problem for you. But I do have one question to ask you."

"What would that be?"

"Did you really come all the way out here just to call me out of the thought elevator? I mean, after all, I think you would be much happier back in Japan with that red-haired girl you like so much. You could've just left me in the thought elevator and live the rest of your days in peace."

"…It's not like I wanted to leave, it was hard for me to do it, but I have my obligations. And what would become of you? Do you really think I would turn away and abandon our contract? Because, if you didn't give me Geass, I would have died back then with everyone else. I have to keep up with my end of the bargain."

"That's just you're way…You're just like them…"

"That's right, and everything so far went exactly as you wanted to, didn't it?"

"More-or-less, while I didn't intend to run into that masked stranger, I was intending to hand you over to C.C. for a while."

"And was having her mind-wipe me part of your plan as well?"

"That was her idea, not mine."

"Tell me E.E., what was the real point of me going to Japan?"

"Well, you already know the last two years was spent trying to get you ready to do your part of the contract. You going to Japan were the final step of the preparations. C.C. was supposed to help you find two very important things you were still missing since those are her domains. Without them I felt you wouldn't be able to complete our contract."

"And what were those things?"

"Why, the two things you lost two years ago. You forgot what love was, and the reason why you exist. But you now have them again. There are people who are important to you and they are the reason why you live. Now I can watch you with confidence. You're ready to move on to stage two."

"Stage two is to go gather reliable allies right?"

"Yes, I'll leave it to you find people you believe are suitable for the job."

"Well there are a few people I want to ask like some of the members of Peace Mark and then there's an old friend of mine. Once I'm finished with that we can finally move on to stage three right?"

"…Correct."

Rai then noticed that E.E. was staring intently at him, as if she saw something wrong in him."

"What's wrong E.E.?"

"…I sense something disrupting your conscious. Your mind is being affected by someone's Geass."

"Oh yeah, that's right." Rai suddenly realized as he was Geassed by Lelouch.

"Would you like me to remove that command placed on you? It's really bothersome to me and could get in the way if not dealt with immediately."

"If you can that is."

"Hold still then."

E.E. then placed her hand on top of Rai's forehead and the bird-like sigil on her own forehead started to glow. In a matter of seconds Rai felt something click inside his head and felt as if his psyche was put at ease.

"There, now with that out of the way there's one last thing I need to do." E.E. said as she walked over to the pedestal.

"What do you need to do?" Rai asked.

"I need to…lock up the house…as they would say."

E.E. then placed her hand on the pedestal and the mark on her forehead glowed again. Rai then watched as the pedestal started to sink into the ground.

"There, now I know that nobody is going to break in while I'm gone. Now we can go."

"Yeah, let's get going…Sumeragi's Legacy." Rai said as he and E.E. left the cavern.

Rai and E.E. then left the cavern and made their way back to the boat. As they were walking along the beach Rai just happened to look up at the moon and noticed that it was glowing ominously blue for some reason.

"Hey, E.E., the moon, it's…"

Rai then looked over at his companion to see that she was looking up at the moon and the sigil on her forehead was glowing. And then it suddenly hit him.

"Oh, so you're the one who started to the whole Blue Moon legend."

"I guess you could say that." E.E. responded.

"So, is it true then when a couple meet together in a church and they…well, you know…"

"Can I make the moon glow blue; yes…Do couples live together happily forever if they profess their love to each other on the altar of a chapel, not necessarily. But it gives people hope and desire that they can find true happiness for themselves and the person they love, and that's what is important about the whole deal."

"Then, I guess the next question I want to ask is how you started it then."

When E.E. heard Rai ask her that question it caused her to sigh.

"…Oh, that…Let's see here…"

(Meanwhile in the Britannian Homeland: Pendragon)

Seated upon his throne was the 99th emperor of Britannia, Charles zi Britannia. Standing right next to his side was his most trusted knight, the knight of one of the Knights of the Round, Bismarck Walstein.

"He has arrived, my lord." Bismarck said as he saw the second prince of Britannia, Schniezel el Britannia, walk down the red floormat. Once Schneizel stood before the emperor he knelt down and bowed before him.

"I have returned home, father."

"Ah, Schneizel, and what news do you have to bring before me today?" Charles asked his one of several children.

"I have come to you today to report that we have recently made a new discovery regarding Sakuradite."

"Hmm…Is that so…"

"Yes, while it may be true that we recently lost our main source of collecting Sakuradite from Mt. Fuji because of the terrorist Zero, one of our Sakuradite Institutes discovered a gold mine, or the better word would be, Sakuradite mine that neither the E.U. nor the Chinese Federation knows about. While it only contains roughly close to half of what Mt. Fuji possess, it should be enough to continue our plans as schedule. Preparations to attack the E.U. are underway and I have already arranged peace meetings with the High Eunuchs of the Chinese Federation that I personally will be attending. Everything will be able to move along smoothly."

"Excellent, good work Schneizel. And by the way, which Institution made the discovery?"

"The Stadtfeld Institution…"

Moving on to the next Stage…

**Important News Regarding This Story**

**Now that I have come this far in this story I'm going to go through the previous chapters and fix any grammar or spelling mistakes before I start the next chapter. Speaking of the next chapter, it will be the start of the new…arc…I would call it with several new things added in. First of all, between this chapter and the next one is a two year time skip. The next chapter, which will be the one titled, "The Knight Who Fights Under the Blue Moon" will be taking place on August 10, 2019 a.t.b. where Britannia will currently be at war with the E.U. and winning for that matter (they would have conquered half of the E.U. by then). Meanwhile the Chinese Federation will be neutral towards Britannia. Britannia will also be starting to attack the United States of Japan for control over the Fuji Mines, which the new country will have been established by now and ready to fight back with Britannia on equal grounds. Also, in this story all the seats are filled for the knights of the round, which means there are twelve members each with their own custom knightmare. Meanwhile, on the Black Knights side there will be the Zero Squad, each piloting a Guren Mk-I, the limited produced knightmare that appears in Code Geass Oz the Reflection, which is lead by Kallen Kozuki herself and will act in a similar vein to the Four Holy Swords. The weapons the Guren Mk-I's will use will be similar to what the Guren Mk-II and the Byakuyen, another knightmare from Oz the Reflection, uses. Also, from now on Rai will be able to fight to his full potential without memories, being injured, or someone's Geass weighing him down. And since I consider searching for the truth as a main theme in this story, now that Rai has his memories again he will now be searching for the truth his of ancestors and about the nature of Geass. One last thing, from this point on I'll be adding OC Knightmares to the story. Here's a few of them that will appear in this story-**

**Susano'o: A custom 8****th**** generation knightmare frame manufactured by the Militarized Zone of India. Its appearance is suspiciously similar to the Proto-Gekka with the same dark blue color scheme. A few differences would be the new equipment and armament added to it. Also, while at first it appears to possess only a monoptic eye, beneath it two red glowing eyes similar to the Guren can be seen. Equipment/Armaments: Air Glide Wing System, Radiant Shield System, x1 Radiant Wave Surger System(with a new mechanism added to it), x1 Revolving Blade Sword(with a new mechanism added to it), x1 chest mounted slash harken, x2 shoulder mounted machine gun turrets, x12 tube missile launchers**

**Lamorak: A custom 8****th**** generation knightmare frame manufactured by Camelot. Its appearance is suspiciously similar to the Lancelot Club and piloted by one of the knights of the round. Equipment/Armaments: Float System, Blaze Luminous Shield System, x2 Maser Vibration Sword Lance type, x2 Custom Assault Rifles with Grenade Launcher, x2 wrist mounted Sword Blazer (The same kind the Lancelot Grail uses)**

**Frederick: A custom Knight Giga Fortress based on data from the Siegfried. Equipment/Armaments: A spinning defense mechanism, Float System, Electrical Shock System, x7 lance type slash harkens, x1 hadron cannon attached above the frame, x6 3-tube missile tubes, and contains a special feature which won't be revealed until later**

**Gawain Galatine: The Gawain after being repaired and having 8****th**** generation technology added to it. It contains the ultimate shielding systems as well as the strongest long range firing weapons.**

**Griflet: A custom 8****th**** generation knightmare frame manufactured by Britannian for one of the knights of the round. Its appearance looks like a heavily customized dark lavender Gloucester and it is also missing the mantle. Equipment/Armaments: Float System, x1 Jousting Lance powered by the MVS System (It's basically a red Jousting Lance that can also shoot MVS Particle Shields form the tip of the lance), x1 Custom Assault Rifle with Grenade Launcher, x2 chest mounted slash harken, Optional: It can also carry two Maser Vibration Swords if the Jousting Lance is ever lost**

**A Mass Production 7****th**** Generation Version of the Shen Hu (I haven't figured out a name for it yet)**

**Bedivere: A custom 8****th**** generation knightmare frame-Manufactured by Britannia for one of the knights of the round.**

**More will be revealed later as the story move along. Anyways there is plenty of work for me to do with this story now so it will probably by a week or two before the newest chapter is complete. Until then…**


	26. Chapter 26

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 26: The Knight Who Fights Under the Blue Moon

**September 17, 2018 a.t.b.**

Out in an open field early at the morning's dawn lies a young woman kneeling before two tombstones that rest themselves in the center of the field. This young woman has her eyes closed and holds folded while praying silently in front of the gravestones before her. When the woman opened her eyes she stood up and looked down at both headstones and saw that the one on the left had origami shaped liked cherry blossoms in front of its gravesite while the one on the right had a katana resting on the head of the gravestone. After staring at the tombstones for a while the woman started to speak out to herself.

"Well Shizuka, the time has finally come. It's once again time to see if the Sumeragi's has what it takes to grant my wish. I prepared him to the best of my abilities to make him as what you wanted him to be in your place. Now, it's time to see if your son has what it takes to make our wishes come true. I wonder what the world will choose to see him as…the blue hero that you desired him to be. Whatever the case, no matter what happens though, I will always be there to watch over him…to the very end. The time has come…soon, we will be moving to Stage 3."

Once the woman was finished speaking out to herself she turned around and started to walk away. Meanwhile…

**Holy Britannia Empire: Temple Tower**

Temple Tower, the name of a prison located in the northern section of the Britannia Homeland. The place where Britannia's most wanted criminals is stored away. It is five stories high and goes fives stories underground as well.

At the bottom of the fifth floor, the deepest floor, everything is normal for the most part, the guards making their daily patrol as they scoff at the prisoners, many of them Numbers, sitting in their cells.

Meanwhile, one of the prisoners, a young man who looks like he's in his mid-twenties, lies on the cold hard floor as he spends another day rotting away in his prison cell, with his feet chained to the ground. He just lays there, eyes dimmed, no longer having a feeling of hope for salvation, never dreaming of the chance of seeing the day of light ever again, waiting for death to take him away from this world.

And then all of a sudden he starts to hear voices, as if some kind of ruckus is going on. He lifts his head up to see several prisoners running up and down the hallway, along with several security guards chasing after them.

"H-Huh…I wonder what's going on out there…?" The young man said under his breath as he looked out of the glass window.

As the chaos continued to spread he suddenly saw a person stand in front of his cell. This person was wearing a knightmare pilot suit along with a pilot helmet that most people rarely wear. The visors on their helmet were dimmed so he couldn't get a good look at their face. Judging from the person's size they looked like they were a few years younger than the man in the cell.

The knightmare pilot then pulled out a sword and swiftly swung it at the glass window in front of them, shattering the glass in several tiny pieces. The young man on the ground was bewildered by what he just witnessed. With the wall separating the two gone, the pilot stepping inside and walked towards the young man chained to the floor, while still carrying their sword in their right hand, and stood in front of him.

"So…who the hell are you…?" The young man said as he looked up at the person standing in front of him.

After a moment of silence the individual answered.

"I'm here to recruit you." Was all the person said. From the tone of voice, it sounded like a male.

"Recruit me…for what…What do you want me for?"

The knightmare pilot then raised his sword in the air and prepared to strike it down which caused the young man to panic.

"H-Hey, what are you planning to with that sword?!"

The young man then flinched and closed his eyes waiting for the weapon to strike him. However, it never came and instead he heard the sound of metal being hit. He opened his eyes and saw the chains that were binding him to the ground were now severed. He also saw the young person in front of him putting his blade away.

"How were you able to cut those chains with that sword?" The young man said with a confused look on his face.

"It's special…Now come on…let's go." The knightmare pilot said as he turned around and starting to run down the hallway.

Seeing the gates of freedom finally open to him, a grin formed on the young man's face as he got up and started to chase after the strange individual who helped him and they both started to run down the hallway together.

"I do hope you have plan when you came down here? You do know that we're five floors beneath Temple Tower." The young man asked as they scurried down the hallway.

"I know, but I've already prepared another exit for us." The knightmare pilot said as they reached the end of the hallway, a dead end.

"Okay, so what do we do now?"

"Stand back." The knightmare pilot demanded.

The young man then stepped back like the pilot said and the pilot pulled out what looked like an activation switch. He then pressed the button on the switch and the wall before them started to crumble down after a small explosion, which revealed an underground tunnel before them.

"Hey, I know you're trying to bust us out of here and the guards are busy with the other prisoner escapees but, don't you think that explosion is going to attract the guard's attention towards us now?"

"I've already dealt with them. You could say they are my hidden special allies."

After the knightmare pilot said that, for a second the young man thought he saw something flashed behind the visor of the knightmare pilot's helmet but decided that he was just seeing things.

"I see, and you also already prepared a secret tunnel for us as well?"

"I've already prepared this tunnel and everything else four months ago."

"Oh really, well color me impressed. Now I feel all special inside knowing that you prepared all of this just for me. Oh, by the way, would you mind telling me your name. It's hard to tell what you are with that getup you're wearing."

"…Very well…My name is…" The knightmare pilot stepped forward and whispered his name into the young man's ear.

"Ah…" The young man sighs as he learns the strange individual's name.

"That's enough for introductions. We need to leave as quickly as possible." The knightmare pilot proclaimed as rushed down the tunnel while carrying a flashlight.

"H-Hey, wait up! I can't move as fast as you can in this prison cell uniform!" The young man shouted out as he sagged behind the pilot.

The two then walked down the tunnel together for what seemed to be ten miles long, while going up and down twists and turns along the way. After a while the path before them suddenly started to become steeper, signaling that they were headed for an exit, the outside world. After a few more minutes of walking they found the path before them blocked off.

"Stand back." The knightmare pilot ordered.

"Another one of your explosives huh?" The young man said as he stepped back.

"The knightmare pilot then pulled out the switch again and pushed the second button this time, which resulted in the wall of dirt before them to crumble into small, tiny spectacles before them. This led them to what appeared to be a dark, dankly cave with water dripping from the stalagmites.

"It won't be much longer now." The knightmare pilot said as he waved his flashlight down the right path of the cavern and walked in that direction. The young man followed after him and after walking for a little while longer they found the exit of the cave, with the sunlight trying to find its way into the cavern.

Once they exited the cave they found themselves surrounded by a large, open, luxurious field, with the tall grass waving by the blows of the wind.

"Oh wow, I don't even know the last time I even saw the sun!" The young man exclaimed as he placed his left hand over his forehead and got a good look at the beautiful, calm, scenery before him. After looking a far distance down he saw a large building in the distance and realized it was Temple Tower.

"Oh man, we really did walk ten miles, didn't we?"

Something then caught his attention through his left eye and turned his head to see that also in the plains were two machines standing right next to each other, knightmare frames. The young man then made his way over to the two machines with the knightmare pilot following behind him.

"These knightmares…they don't look like Britannian models."

"That's because they're not."

"And that thing on its back…is that some sort of float system used to make the knightmare fly or something?"

"Yes, that's correct."

"Whoa, you mean knightmares can fly around now…Man, I've been missing out for a long time now."

"Here…"

As the young man turned around he saw the pilot toss a knightmare activation key towards him and caught it.

"That knightmare to the right is now yours. What you do next is completely up to you."

"I see…well in that case I'll…"

(A narration by C.C.)

_On August 10, 2010 a.t.b., the Holy Britannian Empire declared war upon Japan. The far east island nation has held fast to its neutrality and now Britannia ruled the world as its only superpower. Rights to Japan's underground resources became a hotly disputed issue, straining the already diplomatic tension between the two sides. In the deciding battle for the mainland Britannian introduced the humanoid autonomous battle armored knight…known as the knightmare frame. The enemy's forces were far greater than anticipated and the knightmares obliterated the Japanese line of defense on the mainland with little effort. Japan became a dominion of the empire. The nation stripped of its freedom, its right, and even its name…Area 11…The defeated and once proud nation of Japan was reduced into a mere number. After seven years of being oppressed one man stands up and chooses to fight against Britannia's might. Donning a mask which conceals his identity a man who came to be known as Zero picked up his mantle and challenge the Britannian Military stationed in Area 11 repeatedly with his army of soldiers who came to be known as the Order of the Black Knights._

_August 20, 2017…After waging many small battles against Britannia in Area 11 Zero declares Japan an independent nation, renames the land the United States of Japan and commences the Black Rebellion. The Black Knights storms towards the Tokyo Settlement, takes over the Britannian government bureau, and in the process, successfully drives the Britannians out of the country._

_The United States of Japan is successfully born and is acknowledge by the other two superpowers, the E.U. and the Chinese Federation, as an independent and neutral nation, with the Japanese, formerly Eleven, reclaiming their title as Japanese once again._

_August 30, 2019…Two years has passed since the formation of the United States of Japan. While not the most perfect country reconstruction was successful and all of its citizens were able to live in peace for two years. The Holy Britannian Empire, while weakened from the Black Knights were still able to stand strong, and after suppressing rebellions in their area which took about six month, have currently decided to go to war with the E.U. and have been fighting them for almost a year, with the odds in their favor and have conquered half of their land and have now decided to declare war on the United States of Japan, wanting to reclaim the country of Japan once more for their huge supply of sakuradite stored in Mt. Fuji. In response, the United States of Japan responded back by sending the Black Knights, their one and only military strength, to protect the homeland._

_Right now, Zero, and all the all other important members of the Black Knights, is now discussing the current situation about the incoming Britannian fleet heading to their homeland._

**August 30, 2019 a.t.b. Location: United States of Japan: Tokyo: **

**USJ Government Bureau Command Room**

Inside the command of the government bureau the core members of the Black Knights seated around a table, discussing the current matter. The ones attending the meeting today were the general commander, Tohdoh Kyoshiro, general secretary, Ohgi Kaname, the secretary of media and intelligence department, Diethard Ried, the head of the science, health, and knightmare frame department, Rakshata Crowla, the head of the Kyoto Household, Taizo Kirihara, the Ikaruga Ship's Captain, Minami Yoshitaka, and squad commanders one-to-seven were also present; Asahina Shogo, Urabe Kosetsu, Chiba Nagisa, Senba Ryoga, Sugiyama Kento, Inoue Naomi, and Yoshida Toru. And at the head of the table was none other than the leader of the Black Knights himself, Zero. The only important member who was not attending today's meeting was the Prime Minister, Kaguya Sumeragi, who was currently visiting Empress Tianzi at the Vermillion Forbidden City in the Chinese Federation. While at first glance she doesn't look like the person who should have the job her intelligence, speaking mannerisms, and family line says otherwise.

"And that about sums it up." Diethard said as he closed a folder that was on the table before him.

"So now even the British Isles fall under Britannia's control." Ohgi sorrowfully proclaimed.

"So that means Britannia has approximately taken fifty percent of the E.U. landmarks." Rakshata said as she pulled the pipe out of her mouth.

"Well the E.U. must be taking it pretty hard with the losses they suffered." Asahina said.

"Well what do you expect when you compare Britannia's knightmare technology with the E.U.'s knightmares. Out of the three superpowers the E.U. is the furthest behind in knightmare technology. Even with the Panzer-Hummel's long range superiority Britannia have managed to complete their float system and can easily dispatch ground units with their air power now. Not to mention that their special unit, the W-0 unit, has been completely destroyed by the White Devil of Britannia, you know, that Japanese traitor." Chiba said with her analysis as she puffs out the last part of the statement.

"That's enough about them." Zero said as he raised his voice over the others in the room.

"While the whole Britanian-E.U. war is very important to us we cannot do anything for them right now, seeing as Britannia has also decided to target us now as well. Do I need to remind you all that we've only just recently reconstructed the entire land of Japan?"

"Then what about the Chinese Federation? What is their current position on this?" Yoshida said.

"Oh, it's good of you to point that out." Diethard said as he pulled out another folder and opened it.

"As far as we know with our current information, they claim that they are completely neutral in the matter. However…"

"However…?"

"There have been several rumors that the royal guards of the Chinese Federation's Eunuchs have crossed the borders between the Chinese Federation and the E.U. and that they are secretly aiding the Britannia in the war. Also, standing right outside the border between those two countries is a whole line of Gun-Ru, stretching out about as long as the Great Wall in fact. Though the High Eunuchs insist that they are completely neutral in this matter."

"Well, even if they say that there is surely something going on." Ohgi pointed out.

"Yes, it would seem that way…" Zero said in agreement as he placed his hand on his mask.

"But that's what you're here for isn't it." Zero then stretched his arm outward.

Sitting at the other end of the table on the opposite end of Zero was a young Chinese man in his mid-twenties with long black hair. His name was Li Xingke, a man who serves directly under Tianzi, the empress of the Chinese Federation.

"Yes, and I can attest to everything that was just said about the Chinese Federation." Xingke then rested his arms on the table as he continued to speak.

"The High Eunuchs are definitely aiding the Britannian forces in the Britannian-E.U. war. You see, Tianzi, while she is the empress all the decision making is really done by those scoundrels, the High Eunuchs."

"So, she's just a figurehead, a puppet of the Chinese Federation."

"It's all because of those secret meeting the High Eunuchs have with the Second Prince of Britannia, Schniezel. They plan on surrendering all the lands of the Chinese Federation to Britannia in exchange for Britannian Nobility. I'm sure you know how devastating that would be if this was to occur."

"Yes, that is bad news, not only for the Chinese Federation but for us as well. If Britannia were to have control over the Chinese Federation then that would give them a geographical advantage over us. That would undoubtfully give us problems in the future."

"Then I guess my group will be cooperation with your people in the future then?" Xingke said as he looked up towards Zero.

"Yes, but first I must deal with the Britannian forces who are planning to attack the United States of Japan. Once we deal with them the Black Knights will make plans for the High Eunuchs and the Chinese Federation."

"Then, we'll save this for the next meeting." Xingke said as he stood up.

"Yes, we'll speak more about this later."

"I'll be going for now…excuse me." Xingke then headed for the door and took his leave.

Once Xingke was gone Zero started to speak up again.

"So, is there anything else we need to discuss at today's meeting?"

"Well, there is something I would like to report." Sugiyama said as he spoke up.

"Yes?"

"The Guren Mk-I's that were sent for the Zero Squadron…they have arrived in Okinawa just as you requested, all having their equipment and armaments but…"

"But what…?"

"The two reserve units you've asked for …it appeared that they have been sent to another organization…about a year ago to be precise."

"And did you know about this Rakshata?" Zero said as he turned his head towards Rakshata, who just sat there with a calm expression on her face.

"Don't look at me like that. You do know that the Militarized Zone of India supports other groups besides the Black Knights like other resistance groups and even the Chinese Federation."

"That's just another reason why we need to hurry up and get the Chinese Federation on our side. So, who is in possession of those frames right now?"

"Sorry, that kind of information is confidential."

"…Fine, then I won't ask again. And what are you guys talking about over there?" Zero said as he directed his attention towards Minami, Inoue, and Yoshida.

"Oh…ah…we were just talking about that group. Apparently, a few weeks ago they destroyed a Brittanian cruiser that was carrying knightmares. The carrier was heading for Area 18 but was destroyed before it could reach land." Inoue said as she told what happened.

"That group…Oh, do you mean the so-called Knights of the Blue Moon?" Zero said.

"I've heard about them." Diethard said as he entered the conversation.

"The Knights of the Blue Moon…a group of individuals who have been around for about a year now. According to what we know about them so far they are known for going after things related to the military. While they mostly attack the Britannian Military, they have gone after the Chinese Federation military as well and even the E.U. military once. It has also been said that Areas 10, 13, and 16 were able to recede from Britannia and join the Chinese Federation because of this group. They are also known for doing other strange activities. While most people say it's a secret group created by the E.U. or the United States of Japan the truth of the matter is no one knows who they are or what they look like for that matters. It's been reported that this group has done all of its operation without ever being seen by any military or the public. Their operations are done in a blink of any eye. Nobody has also stepped forward to claim responsibility for their actions." Diethard said as he gave his report.

"But seeing as they are able to move swiftly in their actions this is a group comprised of very small numbers, perhaps even smaller than when the Black Knights first made their debut. But, seeing as Britannia seems to be their main target, I don't think will attack us. We shouldn't concern ourselves with them. They have nothing to do with us…for now. Well, if that is all there is to discuss about today then we should…" Before Zero could finish his sentence a screen appeared in the center of the room, showing the face of a control room operator.

"Excuse me, Zero, I have something to report." The operator said with a worried look on his face.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Britannian forces will be arriving from sea and will approach Okinawa in two hours!"

"I see…I knew that they were coming for us. So I was correct on where our first battle will be held at. In that case, tell all forces stationed there to get ready for combat then."

"Yes, sir!" the operator said as the screen faded away.

"I declare this meeting adjourned. Our first battle with Britannia will commence in two hours. This will not be the same as when we were trying to retake Japan. This will be a full scale war with Britannia. This time, we will fight Britannia on equal ground. Our strength is just about as good as Britannia's forces. You all already know what you must do, so head out at once!" After giving a speech of encouragement to the core members of the Black Knights Zero stood up and headed for his private quarters to prepare for battle. Once he entered his room he saw his green haired accomplice C.C., who have been missing for two years and only just recently returned, sitting down on his couch.

"So, Britannia is coming to invade Japan once again?" C.C. said in her calm and careless tone of voice.

Zero sat down in his chair and turned on the computer to check something before answering her question.

"Yes, my battle against them is about to start up again. I'm ready for combat against them, however…"

"What is it?"

"The reconstruction and creation of the United States of Japan took a long and arduous time. Even though we're finished with the whole process Britannia has already taken down half of the E.U. and is also ready to attack us. And there forces seem to still be very strong, as if losing the Fuji Mines didn't affect them at all. I thought we would have at least a few more months to prepare before they would make a move but it appears that there is something else at play here. Apparently Britannia has found another source of Sakuradite elsewhere."

"That would be the most reasonable assumption." C.C. said in agreement.

"Right, but that source must not be as large as the Fuji mines considering they are coming here again. But I'm not worried, I'm ready to take down Britannia once and for all. And I have just about everything I need to do just that. Although, at a time like this, I wished _he_ still around."

"He…?"

"But alas, his talents were only wasted serving under me, even I have to admit that. He was never mine to begin with."

"A person who can fill the roles of both a knight and a king ends up becoming E.E.'s favorite type of person."

"At first I thought he was an extraordinary knight, then I learned he had the qualities to be a king, but for a while now I think of him as a different classification. He's a chess piece you won't find on the board. Oh yes, while we're talking about people of the past, I've been meaning to ask you this for a while now but…C.C., where have you been for the past two years?"

"Is that any of your concern. Or maybe you're actually worried for my well-being for once?"

"Hmph…not really. I was just curious. Although I wasn't really expecting an answer from you."

"…Lelouch, how many accomplices do you think I have at the moment?"

"…Hmmm, considering this is you we're talking, a woman who I don't really know yet, it's hard to say how many people you've given this power to."

"Well, all you need to know is that I was spending some time with another one of my accomplices, checking to see how close they were to fulfilling my contract with them."

"And how well are they doing compared to me?"

"Well I believe that doesn't matter anymore considering that I don't have to concern myself with her anymore. Anyways, the time has not come yet for you to know anything about me or anything about Geass. There are more pressing matters at the moment."

"Yes, I know. I'll be on my way then. The only reason I want you around is because even you have your usefulness sometimes."

"That is fine, although…never mind."

After spending thirty minutes of relaxing and chatting with C.C. in his room Zero got up and left the room. As he was heading down the hallway he bumped into Milly Ashford.

"Oh, hey there Lelo…I mean, Zero." Milly said as she stopped herself from revealing Zero true name although no one else was there.

"Are you going somewhere?" Zero asked the blond-haired woman.

"Yep, I've just been called out to my job. There's an important broadcast that needs to be announced down at the television station in thirty minutes and I'm the one they called to do it."

"I see…well good luck with that."

"Oh yeah, my grandfather also wanted me to tell that knightmare and the…what they call it, knight giga fortress or something like that, those things you wanted to be repaired, they are still working on repairs at the Ashford Science Institute."

"Oh, is that so?"

"Well you know that my grandfather was one of the people who invented the first knightmare, the Ganymede, it's just his partner group, the Einsteins, they are all currently living in Britannia and their family doesn't wish to assist us since the Ashfords decided to live here in the United States of Japan."

"Yes, I know."

"My Grandfather also wanted you to know that until the knightmares are repaired the Militarized Zone of India has supplied you with another knightmare similar to the Gawain to operate for now."

"That will do then."

"Oh yes, one last thing, Nunnally is with Shirley right now so you don't have to worry about your sister being lonely right now. And don't worry, Sayoko is also keeping a constant watch over Nunnally as well."

"That's good to know."

"Well, that's all I have to say to you so I'll be going now."

"Yeah, see you."

After telling Zero everything he needed to know Milly walked past him and headed for the television station.

"Well, it's just about time…"

After muttering to himself Zero also left the government bureau and headed for the location of his next battle.

**Back in Zero's Room**

After Zero left the room and closed the door C.C. stood up and stood by a window overlooking Tokyo. She then started to talk out to herself.

"I can sense the personification of Death approaching…any day now…the Black Star will soon descend upon the United States of Japan. I wonder…how will they deal with it…"

**Location: The Islands of Okinawa**

Okinawa…the location of the first battle between Britannia and the Black Knights ever since the Black Rebellion two years ago. In the city of Naha, which was usually bustled by the sound of several passerby people and the roaring of vehicles driving by, was deserted today. The only thing moving down the road was a crimson colored motorcycle. The motorcycle continued to speed down several roadways until it arrived at a warehouse adjacent to a building on the east side of the city. The motorist parked in the grass to the right side of the warehouse and took off her helmet revealing herself as Kallen Kozuki, the Ace of the Black Knights and Commander of the Zero Squadron. Her red hair was spiked out like always, wearing a red headband around her head, and was wearing a crimson red motorcycle outfit, which also happens to be her knightmare pilot suit. She got off her motorcycle, went inside the warehouse, and headed for the hanger where several different ranking members of the Black Knights as well as the knightmares were located.

Thanks to the Sakuradite supplied by Mt Fuji as well as the cooperation of both the Kyoto House and the Militarized Zone of India the Black Knights strength has grown exponently during the past two years. The Burai, which used to be the Black Knights main unit, has been completely switched out in favor of the newest model, the Akatsuki, a seventh generation mass production frame based on the limited produced Gekka. Meanwhile the Gekkas used by the Four Holy Swords have received upgrades to their units and are now referred to as the Gekka Zikisan. Even the Guren Mk-II piloted by Kallen received upgrades and been kept up to date along with the Zero Squadron being given the Guren Mk-I's, a limited produced unit which were the first knightmares Rakshata has created but they have also been kept up to date as well.

After looking at most of the knightmares Kallen noticed that all eight members of the Zero Squadron were here and that they were all already wearing their crimson pilot uniforms. Another unique aspect of the Zero Squadron was that all the members were close to Kallen's age, all of them in their late teens or early twenties. Kallen was just about to pass them by when one of them suddenly called out to her.

"Oh hey, Kozuki-dono, good afternoon!" One of the female members said as she waved her hand out to Kallen. She then separated herself from the rest of the group and stood where Kallen was at.

"Oh, good afternoon to you too, Haruna." Kallen kindly said.

The girl named Haruna who had brunette hair belong to the Ikutsuki family. She is a Japanese who is the same age as Kallen and joined the Black Knights sometime before the Black Rebellion. After Ashford Academy opened back up as a school both Haruna and Kallen went to school and graduated there together. While they both went to school there they both got to know each other and became friends. Once they both graduated they both rejoined the Black Knights again with Haruna being accepted into the Zero Squadron with Kallen as the commander.

"And by the way, you don't have to be so formal when talking to me. We're both the same age you know."

"I know, but you're like one of the most important members of the Black Knights compared to me who was just barely able to qualify into the Zero Squad."

The two girls then started to walk down the hanger and sat down on two wooden crates.

"I don't know if you know anything about this, but do you know why the Four Holy Swords had their Gekkas repainted blue?" Haruna asked as she looked over at the four Gekkas in the hanger.

"Well, you do know that the Gekka's prototype was also blue, right?"

"Yeah."

"Well the Four Holy Swords got along really well with the person who piloted that Proto-Gekka and gave deep respect to him. Anyways, the Proto-Gekka was destroyed after the Black Rebellion so I guessing the Four Holy Swords decided to have their Gekkas repainted blue in honor of the prototype version, although theirs has a deeper shade of blue than the Proto-Gekka.

"Oh, I think I kind of understand now."

There was then a deep silence between the two.

"Do you mind if I ask you a question?" Haruna said to Kallen.

"What is it?"

"Well, it's just that…ever since the Black Rebellion you seemed kind of gloomy for some reason. If I remember correctly you were one of the people who were desperate to save Japan."

"Yeah, I did want to save Japan. And when we did I was overjoyed. However, as time went on I lost sight of its meaning because…because there was nobody close to me to share in it with, or rather, there was somebody I wanted to share in it with but couldn't."

"Oh, speaking about important people has Sumeragi-sama ever come back? I haven't seen him around in a long time now."

When Haruna mentioned his name it caused Kallen face to sadden.

"Um…did I say something wrong?" Haruna asked with a worried expression on her face.

"No, it's just that…when I think back to that one day I wonder if it was really okay to let Rai-kun leave. I mean, I know it would be selfish of me to say that I wanted him to stay here in Japan with me but…You know, when I first heard that Rai was going to leave Japan I was worried that he was going to leave and never come back again. I went around and asked several people who knew him how they felt about it including his cousin but they all seemed okay with it so I just forced myself to accept it as well. However, as soon as he left on that boat I felt kind of dejected."

"Why did you feel like that."

"I don't know…Maybe it was because I kind of wanted to go with him and was expecting Rai to ask me to come follow him. I would have went too if would just tell me to come. But he just left without saying anything like that. I later confronted Zero about all his sudden departure but he said that Rai was leaving for a secret mission but I still don't really understand it all that well…"

"So you two aren't in contact with each other anymore?"

"Oh, well he does write letters to me from time to time telling me that he's fine and that I shouldn't worry about him. Although, that just makes me think about him more."

"That sounds thoughtful of him."

"It somewhat puts me at ease knowing that he hasn't forgetting about me. I also send letters back to him but the only way I can do that is to have his younger cousin Kaguya send them to him, as she is the only one who is still in direct contact with him, probably because of family reasons. But enough about me and Rai, has maintenance been checked on all the knightmares here?" Kallen said as her voice started to become more livelier again.

"Yep, all the knightmare had a maintenance check on them and I did them all by myself…Okay, I'm kidding about that last part. But unlike before I can do maintenance on just about any knightmare now."

"Oh, is that so?" Kallen said surprised.

"Yes, I can…Oh yeah, is your mom lately, is she getting any better?"

When Haruna mentioned her mother it caused Kallen face to sadden again.

"My mother…well, she's…"

Before Kallen could say anymore Zero's voice resounded out throughout the hanger.

"To all Black Knights, the time for battle against Britannia is just about upon us. We must fight valiantly in order to protect the land that many have sacrifice their lives for so that we were about to live in harmony. We must defend this land not only for those sacrifices but for the future of well! So now, all Black Knights, head to your assigned position and prepare for battle!"

"Oh, that must mean us to. Umm, forget I asked anything. We can talk later." Haruna said as she headed for her Guren Mk-I.

"Yeah, we'll talk later." Kallen said as she hopped into the pilot seat of the Guren Mk-II and made the machine come to life.

The Black Knights then positioned themselves around the city of Naha and waited until they saw the Britannians approaching from the ocean with their air fleet.

**Location: The Command Room of the Britannian Airship: Grandberry**

"Umm…can I ask you something Princess Maribelle?" A knight whose name was Oldrin Zevon said to the 88th Princess of Britannia, Maribelle mel Britannia.

"Yes, what is it Oldrin?" Maribelle said as she glanced over to her knight, Oldrin.

"I don't know if I'm the only one who thinks this but, don't you think it was strange of Britannia to decide to send in the Glinda Knights to the front lines. I mean, I thought we were organized to only deal with terrorists. And shouldn't they send in someone more professional for this type of job like the Knights of the Round?"

"Well, I don't really understand it myself but apparently there are several reasons why Britannia sent us out here. First of all, most of the Knights of the Round are either still fighting in the E.U. or returning from the E.U. to protect the homeland. Secondly, it should be noted that while the E.U. and Chinese Federation recognized we of Britannia don't; mostly because the Imperial Family, Nobles, and the military refused to acknowledge the former Elevens as Japanese now."

"Then, do you also think like that milady?" Oldrin said as she looked at Maribelle through the corner of her eyes.

"I do not wish to place myself on either side of the argument. But since my older half-brother Schniezel asked me oh-so-nicely to come out here in his place I simply wasn't going to refuse him. And besides, I always kind of wanted to go up against the infamous Zero, who has defeated both my half-brother and sister Clovis and Cornelia."

"Is that why Princess Cornelia took it upon herself to lead the front line of the ground troops?"

"Yeah, she's still kind of steamed about losing to Zero and the Black Knights. So she's decided to take it upon herself to crush them this time and left me with commanding the air fleets. Although the real point of this attack is just to see where the Black Knights forces compares to ours, that's all. I don't expect this to be a long battle. You can almost say we're treating this as an unofficial mock battle."

"A mock battle huh…Is that also why we've brought that unit along?"

As Oldrin asked her question she pointed her finger up out the screen in front of them. It showed them a visual of the air fleets flying with the Grandberry. Among the Sutherlands equipped with float systems, there was one golden knightmare also equipped with the float system with an appearance that made it somewhat similar to the Lancelot.

"Ah yes, that's the final prototype of what is going to be the mass production version of the Lancelot, the Vincent."

"I've heard that among the Original, the Club, and the Grail, they've favored the weapons used by the Lancelot Club the most."

"Yes, I have also heard about that. Well, it's about time for you to go as well Oldrin."

"H-Huh…you mean I also have to enter the battlefield?" Oldrin frantically said surprised.

"I know that this isn't what you're usually used to but Princess Cornelia has requested your assistance and would like you and the Lancelot Grail to be part of the ground forces."

"R-Really…You mean I actually get to fight with Princess Cornelia and her royal guards?"

"Are you saying that you will refuse this opportunity?"

"N-No, if that is what you want me to do, then I would be honored to be part of the ground troops."

"Well, then better get set in your knightmare and be prepared to with the rest of the royal guards then."

"Yes, your highness. I'll depart at once then. Please excuse me."

After giving Princess Maribelle a short bow she put her knightmare uniform on, headed for the hanger, and got ready to launch in her knightmare.

Meanwhile the air fleet has already start fighting the Black Knights units with several Sutherlands firing there assault rifles as the Akatsukis firing back at them with their handguns. Once the gap between them started to close in the units in front engaged in close range combat as the Sutherland activated their stun tonfa and the Akatsukis whipping out their revolving blade swords. At first it seemed the skirmish in the skies were evenly match, but after a while the Sutherlands were starting to get out matched as their numbers started to drop and Maribelle having to switch their formation to keep them from getting completely wiped out. She then ordered the Vincent to take to the front lines to even the odds.

The Vincent, which was providing long range support with its custom assault rifle in the early part of the battle, put its rifle away and drew out two MVS lance type sword. It then formed a dual wielding lance from it and flew towards the front lines. Once it got to the front lines an Akatsuki unit tried to attack it with its revolving blade sword but the Vincent swiftly moved out of the way and responded by knocking the Akatsuki's sword out of its hand. The Akatsuki then raised its other arm and tried to get its handgun ready to fire but the Vincent quickly flipped its lance around and hacked the Akatsuki's right arm off, leaving it defenseless. With its free hand the Vincent grabbed its assault rifle and pelted bullets into the Akatsuki until it blew up.

This attracted the attention of the other Akatsuki's as another unit tried to attack the Vincent with its handgun from a distance. The Vincent guarded itself but twirling its dual wielding lance in front of itself, warding away all attacks shot at it. Once that Akatsuki gave up another one tried to attack the Vincent from the left side. The golden knightmare saw it coming however and blocked the Akatsuki's sword with its lance. After managing to knock the Akatsuki unit back the Vincent reached out with its right hand and grabbed the base of the enemy frame. The Vincent then used its new, original, weapon called the needle blazer attached to it elbow which blasted out some kind of blaze luminous particle in a similar manner to the radiation wave to destroy yet another unit. After that, the Vincent was able to tip the side so the Britannian forces can continue to fight while switching between the front, middle, and back lines under Princess Maribelles's directions.

Meanwhile, as the air fleets was fighting it out up in the skies Cornelia and her royal guards stormed the city in their Gloucesters, eager to take on the Black Knights ground forces.

"Spread out men, and extract them as the vermin they are!" Cornelia shouted out to her soldiers.

"Yes, my lord!" The royal guards simultaneously said as they headed down the different streets and roads.

After spreading out Cornelia and her men soon came across several Akatsuki units belonging to the Black Knights.

"Alright finally, I get to do some action, charge!"

Tamaki, who was the commander of squad eight, shouted out as he and several other Akatsuki units charged in to engage the Gloucesters.

As Tamaki raised his Akatsuki's handgun and prepared to fire it however, one of Cornelia's royal guards charge forward in his Gloucester and pierced right through Tamaki's Akatsuki with its jousting lance, destroying it in one shot.

"Damn, what the hell!" Tamaki shouted out as his auto eject activated before his Akatsuki blew up. Usually, when a member of Cornelia's royal guard attacked with its jousting lance, it penetrates right through the frame and cockpit as well, killing its pilot, but this one missed and the lance was right underneath the cockpit, which meant that Tamaki's life was somehow spared.

The battle on the ground was getting just as furious as the ongoing battle in the air, although the Gloucesters were seemingly faring a lot better than the Sutherlands. The Akatsuki's numbers were starting to dwindle until Kallen and Zero Squadron flew in from the skies with their Guren's equipped with their Air Wing System and started to provide assistance with the ground forces. Once Cornelia noticed the Guren Mk-II on the battlefield she immediately got in touch with Oldrin's unit.

"You go deal with that red knightmare with the gauntlet on its right arm. I heard you were trained to fight it."

"Well, I did fight it in a few simulations, but I've never fought the real thing."

"You're our ace-in-the-hole against that unit. My soldiers and I will deal with the rest of these lowborn scum, your duty is to beat that knightmare, you hear me?"

"Yes, your highness!" Oldrin shouted as she was given her assignment to fight the Guren Mk-II.

Cornelia's Gloucester then left the area as the Lancelot Grail grabbed two of its swords out of its mantle.

Meanwhile, as the Zero Squadron spreaded out to support the other units Kallen engaged with a Gloucester belonging to one of Cornelia's royal guard. As the Guren Mk-II charged towards the knightmare the Gloucester tried shooting it with its assault rifle. However, the Guren didn't slow down at all or tried to dodge as Kallen activated a shield made of radiation in front of the Guren that emitted from the two antennas on the Guren head. After seeing that the bullets were ineffective against the Guren's shield system it charged forward with its jousting lance. The Guren dodged the strike by ducking below it and then swept its right legs forward causing the Gloucester to lose its footing and stumble forward. The Guren then grabbed the Gloucester and Kallen activated the radiation wave, destroying the unit in a matter of seconds.

After the Gloucester was finished Kallen looked around to see something that disturbed her. At the other end of the street she saw what looked like the Lancelot.

"What, they have another prototype based on the Lancelot? But now this one is red with golden outlines on it…how insulting! Red only looks good on the Guren!"

"In the name of the Zevon family, I shall be victorious!" Oldrin said as she charged towards Kallen's Guren with her Lancelot Grail.

The Guren Mk-II raised its left arm and fired a grenade shot with the cannon on its wrist. When Oldrin saw this saw made the Lancelot Grail stop and blocked the grenade shot by wrapping the mantle around her unit, protecting the Lancelot Grail form any harm.

"Oh, that was pretty good, but let's see you try to block this!" Kallen said as she raised the Guren's right arm forward this time. She held the gauntlet straight at the Lancelot Grail with the fingertips started to flash red. Kallen then released a radiation beam from the Guren's right hand and headed straight at the Lancelot Grail. This time the Lancelot Grail simply moved out of the way to avoid getting hit and an unfortunate Gloucester got hit by Kallen's attack, which instantly destroyed the unit after getting struck.

"Oh man, that was a close one. If I got hit by that it would've…there was nothing in the data about that type of attack. It seems that it can fire a long range beam attack with that gauntlet now. In that case it doesn't really matter if I far away or close up. Which works for me since my unit is also a close range specialist."

The Lancelot Grail then prepared two swords and closed the gap between the two frames. Once it was close enough it swung its sword at the Guren. While Kallen tried to block the attack with her fork knife the blow of the attack was enough to send her frame back.

"Those swords…their not the same type Suzaku's Lancelot use. It looks like they were made out of some special type of steel. This one is differently more unique than the other two." Kallen thought to herself as she made a quick analysis of her foe.

Once the Guren got its footing back Kallen had two immediately used her slash harken to pull her knightmare somewhere else as the Lancelot Grail fired four of its steel swords mounted on its back. These swords were flying out in the same manner as a slash harken. After dodging all the flying swords the Guren charged towards the Lancelot Grail's position with its right hand stretched out attempting to grab a hold of it. The Lancelot Grail step side to the left and then swung its sword but Kallen quickly moved the Guren's right foot upwards and kicked the Lancelot Grail's right hand, knocking its sword away in the process. Oldrin then tried to use the sword in its left hand but Kallen got a hold of it with the radiation surger and started to use the radiation wave on it.

Oldrin, who had no choice but release the sword, dropped her weapon and revealed a sword hidden on her knightmares wrist. Both swords were being powered up by the blaze luminous system attached to its wrist causing the swords to glow a lime-light color. When the Guren went after her frame again with the radiation surger she swung the sword blazer attached to her left hand and hit the Guren's right arm. It didn't cut through it but it did manage to direct the arm's direction away from her. She then swung the other sword blazer on her right arm and this managed a horizontal slash through the Guren's tough armor, leaving what looked like a big scratch across the Guren's body. After her two attacks the swords mounted on her wrist broke off so she fired the two slash harkens mounted on the Lancelot Grail's wrist which managed to knock the Guren down after it connected.

"I'm sorry, this is nothing personal but I have to defeat you." Oldrin said as she pulled out two more steel swords and charged towards the Guren MK-II.

"This one definitely has more skill than Suzaku…but I'm the Ace of the Black Knights, so I cannot lose here!" Kallen yelled as she used the air glide system to help her frame get back up more quickly. The frame then turned around with its fork knife ready and connected with the Lancelot Grail's sword.

As the Guren MK-II and the Lancelot Grail had their knife and sword locked on to each other Kallen noticed something on her IFF Signals and looked to her left to see the Vincent in the air targeting her knightmare with its assault rifle which morphed itself into some kind of sniping mode.

"Damn it, that thing is targeting me isn't it?" Kallen said to herself as she tried to maneuver the Guren Mk-II away but the Lancelot Grail wasn't going to let her get away nor did it seem to notice the Vincent in the air.

"At this rate I'm going to…"

The golden Vincent in the air then slowly start to move its manipulator hand down on the assault rifle ready to fire until at the last second it moved away as a beam of radiation was shot through the air. The beam missed the Vincent but three airborne Sutherlands got caught in the attack and were instantly destroyed. This caused Kallen and Oldrin to stop fighting for a moment as they tried to figure out where that attack came from.

"That attack…it was the same that my Guren uses…" Kallen said as she turned to face where the attack came from and saw that a fair distance away from the Vincent, a blue colored knightmare was floating in the air which caused Kallen's eyes to widen.

"T-That knightmare…it looks like the…but could it be…?"

As Kallen continue to stare at the knightmare that has just arrived she noted that its appearance looks just like the Proto-Gekka, a knightmare that used to be piloted by one of her closest friends before it was destroyed in the Black Rebellion. It even had the same blue color scheme. What made this knightmare different from the Proto-Gekka was that it seemed to have the newest equipment and armaments added to it, such as the same air glide wing system the Black Knights use and two antennas attached to its head.

(Mysterious Knightmare Pilot's POV)

"This is Type-06R Susano'o. I have arrived at the operation's destination. Target RPI-213 Vincent has been confirmed. I will now move in to eliminate the target."

As soon the mysterious pilot finished speaking what appeared to be two red eyes suddenly flashed underneath the knightmare's single monoptic eye. The blue knightmare called Susano'o then suddenly came to life and pulled out what looked like a revolving blade sword. The difference between this sword and the normal revolving blade sword was that this weapon looked more like a daito, a Japanese longsword, and the blade had a dark steel color to it. Seeing the challenger before it, the pilot of the Vincent pulled out its two MVS Lance type Swords and morphed them together into a dual lance.

"Hmph…that machine is just a cheap imitation of the Lancelot Club. With this blade I should be able to…"

The blue knightmare's sword then started to flare up. However, instead of the normal orange flames this sword had an ominous red flare to it. The blue and golden knightmares then charged at each other and swung their respective sword at each other. When the sword hit the lance however, the red flaring sword cut right through the MVS dual wielding lance and sliced right in half. The blue knightmare then spun around and kicked the Vincent and sent it flying back. However, the blue knightmare grabbed onto the Vincent before it was flung too far away with its left hand which looked like a red version of the Guren's radiation surger. The pilot of the Vincent then ejected from his machine as he knew what was about to happen next. After he ejected the blue knightmare's left hand started to flash and released a wide range attack of the radiation wave, covering the entire frame of its target. In a matter of second the Vincent was completely crisped and exploded, with nothing of it remaining.

(Third Person View)

Meanwhile, back down on the roads of the city, the knightmare pilots of the Guren MK-II and the Lancelot Grail were simply astounded by what they just witnessed. The Vincent, Britannia's newest model which was destroyed knightmare after knightmare earlier, was soundly defeated by the sudden appearance of a mysterious knightmare.

"That knightmare…it defeated the Vincent with no effort at all. Is it a new model as well or something else, and just who is piloting that thing…" Oldrin thought to herself but then she noticed three Sutherlands going after the blue knightmare which caused her to tense up.

"W-Wait…don't go after that thing!" Oldrin cried out as the three Sutherlands charged at the blue knightmare.

They all fired their assault rifles at once towards the mysterious frame by the knightmare avoided taking any damage by emitting a radiation shield in front of itself created from the two antennas on its head. The blue knightmare then responded revealing two turrets on both of its shoulders and began firing rapidly, destroying one of the Sutherlands quickly with a direct attack on its frame.

"Why you bastard!" One of the remaining Sutherland's pilot yelled as he retracted his Sutherlands stun tonfas and charged straight for the mysterious frame. The blue knightmare prepared to use its sword again and just like with the Vincent, the red flamed sword cut right through both stun tonfas. The blue knightmare then raised its sword in the air and swung downward, slicing the frame of the Sutherland right in half, forcing the pilot to eject. The blue knightmare then raised its left arm at the remaining Sutherland, ready to use it radiation beam on it with the red lights on its fingertips lighting up. The pilot of the Sutherland, whose wits was scared to death after seeing his allies completely crushed, decided to hightail it out of there, trying to get away from blue knightmare and flew away. It then looked like the blue knightmare was about to fire its beam attack at the fleeing Sutherland but the flashing lights on its hand suddenly stopped and it put its left arm down, floating motionlessly in the air alone.

Oldrin, who was still awe-struck by the blue knightmare's performance, didn't know what to do next until she was contacted through an open channel by her commander.

"Oldrin, can you read me, it's time for all our forces to retreat, including you. Our situation has suddenly changed." Maribelle's voice resounded through the communication lines.

"R-Roger, I hear you. I will retreat at once."

The Lancelot Grail then withdrew its swords and moved backwards on its landspinner, leaving the Guren alone and following some of Cornelia's Royal Guards Gloucester towards an escape route leading back to the Grandberry.

After seeing the Lancelot Grail retreat, Kallen instantly went through several open channels trying to get into contact with the pilot of the blue knightmare.

"Hello…hello…pilot of the blue knightmare…do you hear me…hello…are you…"

However she wasn't getting any response and the more she tried the more that static started to pop up. Seeing that she wasn't getting anywhere Kallen activated the Guren's Air Wing system and started to fly towards the mysterious blue knightmare, hoping to find out who exactly is piloting it. Before she could get anywhere close to it however chaffsmoke was starting to be released from the knightmare's internal frame, covering the air completely in smoke. When Kallen flew in there she couldn't see the knightmare anymore are her IFF Signals wasn't working either.

"Argh…where did it go…?" Kallen wondered as she decided to get out of the chaff smokescreen.

Once she escaped the smokescreen Kallen looked around to see the blue knightmare leaving the area, heading down the ocean.

"H-hey, come back…!" Kallen yelled out as she was about to follow after it but was stopped by an incoming message from Zero.

"Wait…don't follow it!"

"B-But…that knightmare…it looks like…"

"I know…that's why we'll leave it alone. If the pilot of that mecha is who we think it is, then there's nothing to worry about. We'll deal with it when the time is right. For now, all forces return back to base."

"R-Roger…" Kallen solemnly said as the Guren prepared to return to the hanger but not before she took one last look of where the blue knightmare flew away to.

"Hmm…the direction of where that knightmare is heading, it seemed like it was going to…"

**Location: An Unknown Island**

On the sandy shores a young male in a blue pilot suit walks across the beach while carrying a PDA in one hand and carrying a blue pilot helmet around his other arm, while talking with another person on the other end of the line.

"Right, I have successfully finished the first phase of this operation. We suspect that Britannian forces will move out again in a few hours. The Susano'o didn't sustain any damage at all but I did use up quite a bit of energy. Once that's taken care though I'll move out to begin the second phase…What, you want me to bring those two units with me this time…If you say so…No, that's not true at all. I always respect each and every one of your decisions…Then we will be heading out very soon then."

After he was finished talking the PDA blacked out and he looked up at the island to see three knightmares appearing from the ground, each of them prepared to take off.

"Now then…let's go…and now the second phase…is about to go underway…"

Moving on to the next Stage…


	27. Chapter 27

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 27: Operations Behind the Curtains

Location: Unknown Island March 5, 2019 a.t.b.

A young man wearing a blue knightmare pilot suit sits alone on a fallen log out in the open of an isolated forest. As he's going through several files of his PDA he starts scrolling through several photos that's been saved onto the PDA. Several of the pictures contain groups of people while others contain only a person or two on a single photo. As the knightmare pilot glances at the photos he continuously continues to flip through the photos until he comes across a photo showing him with a girl with red hair. Both him and the girl are wearing school uniforms and standing inside what seemed to be a club room. While he continued to stare at the photo for a few more seconds his PDA was unexpectedly snatched out of his hands by someone who suddenly appeared behind him.

"H-Hey, give that back!" The blue knightmare pilot yelled out as he turned his head around to see a young man wearing a red knightmare pilot suit similar to his standing right behind him. The red knightmare pilot was staring down at the PDA with a smile etched across his face.

"This girl looks pretty cute! She reminds me of my sister."

"Is that so?"

"So, is she your girlfriend?" The knightmare pilot said in an enthusiastic manner which caused the guy sitting on the log to look down at the ground with a sadden look on his face.

"…Not quite."

"Huh, what does that suppose to mean? Whatever…" The red pilot said as he tossed the PDA in the air and it landed back on the blue pilot's lap. After that quick display the red pilot took a seat next to the other knightmare pilot and continued to speak.

"Anyways, did you hear about Japan? Apparently, it is now officially called the United States of Japan. Pretty weird name huh?"

"It's not the name that's so important but the deeper meaning of it all."

"You mean the Japanese people rising up and taking back what was deprived from them for the past seven year's right? Well, that makes me kind of glad for them, you know."

"Yeah, I know."

"Now that I think about it, wasn't you part of…"

Before he could finish speaking though the blue knightmare pilot cut him off from finishing his sentence.

"That's all in the past."

"If you say so…Well…" The red knightmare then stood up and put the knightmare helmet he was carrying under his arm on before facing the other pilot.

"Break time's over…We should be heading back to where the commander is. They probably have our next assignment ready for us by now."

"Yeah…" The other pilot slowly murmured as he pressed a button on his PDA, causing the screen to fade black. He then stood up, placed the PDA in his pocket, picked up his own knightmare helmet, and started to follow his fellow comrade.

"You know, sometimes I wonder how the rest of the world perceives us." The red knightmare pilot said as they were walking along together.

"Hmm…what do you mean?"

"Well, sometimes I think about what people would think if they knew that several of the important members of the Knights of the Blue Moon are Britannians."

"And what does that have to do with anything?"

"Er…uh…nothing really…Just something I think to myself."

"People don't need to know about us anyways. Our top priority is to keep this organization and our identities a secret, even the knightmares."

"Yeah yeah, I know…Geez; you need to loosen up a bit sometimes you know?"

The blue pilot didn't respond to that statement and continue on walking.

**August 31, 2012 a.t.b.**

**Location: Britannian Main Airship Granberry's Command Room**

"What kind of orders are these!?"

As Oldrin walked into the command room she heard the 88th Princess of Britannia, Marribelle mel Britannia, scream out. She seemed to be talking with someone else.

"I understand that our previous engagement with the Black Knights didn't go as smoothly as we wished for but, that's because their forces were much stronger than we anticipated. Maybe we gave them too much time to recover from the Black Rebellion…What do you mean you don't care about that!?...You're very strange you know that…Huh, a blue knightmare wielding an odd looking sword…Yeah, one did appear, what of it? Why would you think it belongs to that organization for? What would they have to gain by helping such a small country like the United States of Japan? Ugh…yes, I understand. I'll initiate the second attack in a few hours. But it won't be my fault if we're all wiped out, you hear me...Oh, you already have units prepared for such an occasion eh? I'll just keep doing what I've been doing then."

Once the conversation seemed to be over Oldrin heard the princess give out a sigh and then she decided to step further into the room to see the screen in front of Maribelle fade away. Maribelle must have been talking to whoever was on the screen just now and by the sound of it must have been a man.

"Oh, you're back." Maribelle said in a more pleasant tone upon finally noticing Oldrin's presence in the room.

"Yes milady, I've just returned from the battlefield…Umm…" Oldrin's voice then started to stutter.

"Yes, what is it?"

"If you don't mind me asking, I overheard you talking with someone just now and I was wondering who exactly that was."

"Oh him…Well, he's kind of like the head honcho of our current operations for Japan."

"Head Honcho…?" Oldrin said in a confused manner.

"He's the one telling all of our forces in the Japan area places we should attack and take over first. He's like, the supreme commander on these operations…Although I am concerned if he's taking his job seriously."

"Not taking his job seriously, why wouldn't he?"

"I don't know…For some reason I get the feeling that our high command is here for reasons other than fighting the Black Knights…Like that blue knightmare that popped up during the middle of the battle."

"Huh, but isn't that blue knightmare part of the Black Knights? I mean, it had similar equipment attached to it."

"No, that unit does not belong to the Black Knights. If you were watching closely it was operating out of the Black Knights chain of command. In other words, the knightmare and its pilot were acting on its own."

"I see…Now that you mention it…"

"Anyways, I'll be glad whenever we're done with our business here in Japan. Hopefully our next operation will be the last one…Taking command of an entire air fleet can very tiring for me. I don't think I'm cut out for fighting in these big battlefields. I want to go back to operating my small little Glinda Knights group."

"So, what will we be doing for the next operation anyways?"

"This time we will be hitting two of the United States of Japan's locations at the same time. My sister Cornelia and myself will continue to attack the capital of the Okinawa Islands, Naha, while another group of soldiers will hit Ie Shimo who will be commanded by Commander Calares, a duke, and General Upson."

"Ugh…Calares, they picked him for this operation?" Oldrin said in a disgusted tone of voice.

"What…do you not like Mr. Calares?"

"Well, he can be a little…"

"Radical…? And by that I mean he's racist towards anyone not Britannian." Maribelle said as she finished Oldrin's sentence.

"Well, maybe he's not so much of a racist as he likes to embrace the Britannian way while stomping on the lower classes, which for the most part happens to be people from other cultures." Maribelle said as she continued on.

"I still don't like the way he acts towards honorary numbers. Not to mention the fact that he was the main cause of that skirmish four years ago in Area 12 when he was acting as the viceroy of that area and we had to go clean up his mess."

"True, but I fix his wagon afterwards and left him speechless. Well, we won't have to worry too much him. He's up in Ie Shima so we probably won't have to hear much out of Sir Calares. Anyways, I suppose we need to get everything ready for the next operation. It's not going to happen for a few more hours but we still need to get everything set."

"Right!" Oldrin said as she gave Maribelle a salute.

**Location: Above the capital city of Naha-Black Knight's Main Airship Ikaruga's Command Room**

Once the battle has been settled, the Britannian army began to withdraw its troop and left the area, with Sutherlands flying away and Gloucesters heading for the Granberry and other transport vehicles outside the city's perimeter. The tension in the air seemed to have finally eased, if only a little bit.

With the battle called to a halt for a moment the units belonging to the Black Knights were called back to the Black Knights main airship, the Ikaruga. With the order to return being signaling out the Akatsuki units and the Guren Mk-I's belonging the Zero Squadron headed straight for the hanger aboard the airship. Meanwhile up in the ship's main control room everyone is starting to ease up and relax after Britannia's previous onslaught.

"Whew…it looks like it's finally over for now." Ohgi said with a sigh of relief.

"Did you think we scared them off for good this time?" Minami asked.

"Hmm…probably not…I don't think Britannia would quit that easily…We must be prepared for a second assault." Zero issued the order out.

"Oh yeah, Zero, there's something I need to report to you." Minami said as he turned towards Zero.

"What is it?" Zero ordered.

"During the battle, I noticed that there was a knightmare that…"

Before Minami could finish speaking however Kallen came flying through the doors and ran into the room, almost out of breath. She must have sprinted all the way here from the Ikaruga's hanger.

"Zero…that blue knightmare…didn't you see it…it looked like…could it be…him…" After taking several shots for breathes in between Kallen was spilling out the words she wanted to say but before she could finally finish Zero interrupted her.

"Calm down Kallen, and yes, I saw that Gekka look-alike knightmare."

"Hey Zero, do you really think the one operating that knightmare could really be…" Ohgi started to say.

"Right now it's too soon to assume about it." Zero calmly answered.

"But…!" Kallen shouted out.

"Zero…" Ohgi sadly murmured.

"That knightmare helped us out! It saved me!" Kallen spoke out.

"Yes, I understand that the pilot of that knightmare came and attacked Britannia but there are still too many unknowns it. Like why is it here, where did it come from, what are the pilots true objective, it's things like that you need to consider about before you start believing the first thing that comes to mind. And besides, the pilot of that knightmare didn't even bother to introduce themselves or even say anything to us. It just left before we even had a chance to take action. Who's to say that while it was ally today it won't hesitate to be our enemy tomorrow?"

"I agree with Zero, especially during a time like this with Britannian forces surrounding the area. After all, with the pilot's identity unknown, it should be noted that anyone who has ever seen the Proto-Gekka could easily replicate its exterior build." Diethard added in agreeing with Zero.

"Well that's true but what about the technology and weapons it was using? It's using the same stuff we're using, provided by the Militarized Zone of India." Ohgi said.

"You have point, and I do have to wonder how it managed to sneak right into the midst of the battlefield undetected." Zero questioned.

"Yeah, I didn't detect it on the radar or anything. Could it be using a stealth system of some sort?" Minami wondered.

"A stealth system…?"

"You mean like the gefjun disturber system put on Gawain by Rakshata?" C.C. said from the background while holding on to her stuffed plushie.

"Hmmm…if they are receiving aid from the Militarized Zone of India we may not be too far away from that assumption…" Zero said as he looked down while thinking hard of the possibilities.

"So, Zero, what are we going to do about it? It's your call." Ohgi said wanting an answer out of Zero.

"Hmm…with the current situation and what we know about it so far there's not much we really can do right now." Zero responded.

"W-What do you mean?" Ohgi seemed shocked by Zero's answer.

"There's still too many things we don't know about that knightmare. Taking action now would only hinder us. Our best course of action would be to wait and study about its objectives and origins from a safe distance. I believe that will be the quickest way of solving this mystery."

"Understood." Ohgi responded.

"I agree too." Diethard said in agreement.

"I don't like how there're keeping their identity away from us. I cannot possibly cooperate with such an individual." Zero said.

"Hmph…like you got room to talk." C.C. retorted from behind him with a smile on her face.

"We'll hold a meeting discussing more on this with everyone else after we're done dealing with the Britannian forces. It's a small chance, but maybe our guest from the Chinese Federation might know something. Until then, we will speak no more about this. Now, I believe we should take a break for now. We should rest up and be prepared for another attack from Britannia. Right now, they should be our main priority."

After Zero was finished speaking he left the room with C.C. following right behind him. Once he was gone everyone else in the room started to get up one by one and left as well. When the Ikaruga finally landed on the ground and stored itself away in one of the Black Knights main buildings people started to leave the airship and walked off alone or in groups with other people as they got ready to enjoy the short time they are given for their break.

Kallen was also leaving the hanger of the Ikaruga and wondering what she was going to do to pass the time when she suddenly heard a voice call out to her.

"Kozuki-dono, wait up for me!"

Kallen turned around to see one of the members of the Zero Squadron, Haruna, running up to her.

"Oh Haruna, it's you…Where are the others? And what did I tell you about being so formal when talking in person with me?" Kallen said with a glare on her last sentence.

"Sorry, it must have slipped my mind!" Haruna said with an innocent smile on her face.

"But everyone else left while was waiting for you. I was kind of hoping you and I could go get some coffee down at the coffee shop down in Naha during our time off. Hopefully the city isn't too torn up…" Haruna said as she looked towards the city.

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about that. Those Britannians didn't even get close to the town. They only got as far as the port down south of town. I believe the place is already back to its usually routine by now."

"So are we going to use your motorcycle to get there?" Haruna asked.

"No, I think we'll just walk." Kallen smoothly said.

"Okay, that's fine too."

Kallen and Haruna then gathered their things together and started walking to the coffee shop in Naha together. As they were walking along the high road they could see the south portion of the city from where they were currently standing.

"They really didn't cause as much destruction as I thought they were going to." Haruna commented.

"That's because of Zero, the people on the Ikuraga, and the air fleet were able to keep Britannia's air force at sea the entire time." Kallen responded.

"I suppose so."

Kallen and Haruna were about to continue on when Haruna almost bumped into someone. The person however was able to twirl himself out of the way before they collided.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you coming." Haruna apologetically said.

"Oh no, please, I'm the one should say he's sorry. I'm the one who is in your ladies way. Please forgive me." The man politely said in an innocent tone. He was a short green-haired Britannian wearing a business suit and a fedora hat.

"Oh, no, it's okay." Haruna said while shaking her hands in front of her.

"Well, please excuse me ladies. I'm in a bit of a hurry you see. I some important business to attend to…Goodbye." After tipping his hat off to the two young girls he continued to walk down the street.

Once the business gentleman was out of earshot Haruna spoke up.

"Geez, what is a Britannian nobleman doing here?"

"Umm, that wasn't a Britannian nobleman Haruna." Kallen responded back.

"Huh…?" Haruna cried out.

"He was just your average business man. We have plenty of them here in Japan. You couldn't tell the difference?"

"Aha, yeah, I still get all those Britannians mixed up. They all seem to be the same to me."

"Geezs…well anyway, we better continue to the coffee shop. No point standing around here." Kallen suggested.

"Yeah…"

Kallen and Haruna then continued down the road and eventually arrived at the coffee shop. Once they received their orders from the coffee shop they took their drinks and sat at a table outside the shop. The weather outside was clear and sunny today.

"So, what kind of coffee did you pick Kallen?" Haruna asked.

"Me, I just picked iced coffee. It's still summer and very humid out here. What did you get?" Kallen asked the question back once she gave an answer.

"Man, we sure have been working hard lately haven't we? Ever since Britannia declared they were going to attack we in the Black Knights sure have our work cut out don't we?" Haruna said with a sigh.

"We, what do you mean by we? I'm the one who has to do most of the work for the Zero Squadron. You guys don't do much anyways besides keeping the knightmares in good condition."

"Well that may be true but…there are times when you get lazy and dump all the work on us."

"S-So, even I need to take a break sometimes. And it doesn't hurt you guys to help out your commander every once in a while."

The two girls then laughed and continued to talk about various things in and out of the Black Knights.

"But I wonder if they are still going to hold the summer festival this year, I mean with the whole Britannian invasion and everything, I hope it doesn't get canceled." Haruna said with a sadden tone in her voice.

"Well we'll just have to drive those Britannians away from here then and send them packing just like we did before. We are the Black Knights after all!" Kallen confidently proclaimed.

"Yeah!" Haruna yelled in agreement.

"Umm, hey I ask you something?" Haruna said as she looked over at Kallen.

"Yes, what is it?"

"Did the higher ups ever discover who was piloting that one blue knightmare? You know, the one that showed up during the middle of battle and destroyed Britannia's newest model with ease. At first I thought it one of the Four Holy Swords but then I realized the coloring was a little bit different than theirs. Who was that person exactly?" Haruna said as the barrage of questions kept forming on the same topic which caused Kallen to look down at the table in grievance.

"They don't know yet Haruna. We don't have enough information to go into a full scale investigation yet. All we can is wait for it to make another appearance before we can do something about it."

"I wonder who it could be…Well, they can't be that bad right? I mean they did help us out and all."

"True, but…"

"Hey Kallen, who do you think it could be…Do you have someone in mind who be possibly piloting that knightmare?" Haruna curiously asked.

"Well…there is someone I have in mind. I wish it could be who I think it is but until we know for sure…" Before Kallen could finish speaking her phone started to go off. She picked it up and saw that it was Ohgi calling her.

"Yes, okay what is it?" Kallen said as she talked on her phone.

"Zero is ordering everyone to come back to the Ikaruga! The Britannians…they're attacking us already again. Ie Shimo this time…I'll tell you more about it when you come back." Ohgi said over the phone in a worried tone of voice.

"Okay, don't worry…we'll be back there right away!" Kallen said to Ohgi over the phone and then hung up.

"Come on Haruna, our break is over!" Kallen said as she quickly got up from her seat and got ready to go.

"What, really…We have to leave now?" Haruna said as she followed suit and ran back to the Ikaruga with Kallen.

Once they arrived back to the Ikaruga Zero was already discussing what was going on inside the airship's hanger. According to the information that Diethard gathered, two new airships controlled by Britannia has arrived and is attacking up in Ie Shimo while the main forces controlled by the Granberry is waiting just outside of Naha, probably getting ready to attack the city Zero and others are at right now. While Tohdoh, the first and second squads are already up trying to fend the Britannians forces away from Ie Shimo, things aren't going in their favor so far. Right now Zero and the others in Naha are trying to decide what course of action they should take.

"Zero, maybe we should send Kallen and the Zero Squadron up to assist them." Ohgi suggested.

"I disagree Ohgi…If we do that we would only weaken the forces we already have here. And don't forget, there's another group of Britannian forces sitting right outside the city perimeter. We cannot afford to take risks right now." Diethard said in protest to Ohgi's idea.

"Then what about the squad commanders we have positioned in the Japan homeland? Would it be possible to sent some of them down to Ie Shimo?" Ohgi suggested a new idea.

"There is no guarantee that they would make it this time. The enemy was fast and shrewd in executing their plan. They have brought an excellent commander with them this time. They are definitely not considering us a small threat anymore." Zero said.

"Do you really think this is the time to be praising your adversary Zero?" C.C. added in.

Before Zero could respond back a line connected with Tohdoh opened up.

"Tohdoh, how are you holding up over there?" Zero questioned.

"We were in a bad situation earlier but we're able them back perfectly now." Tohdoh responded over the line.

"Hmm…you were, what happened?" Zero ordered.

"Well, you see…"

**Location: Ie Shimo**

Gunshots were flying all over the place in the skies above the city of Ie Shimo. The Britannian Sutherlands, who able to get the early jump on the Black Knights, plowed right through several of the Akatsuki units trying to hold the line with their sudden surprise attack.

"Yes, that's right…Smash through them all!" General Upson, who was commanding the air fleet stationed here in Ie Shimo, shouted out from the command center of his personal Caerleon airship.

"General Upson, should we signal commander Calares down below to head out yet?" One of the crew members asked.

"No, tell them to wait. The more destruction my men create, the more credit I will receive. Hell, I might even get a promotion for all my hard efforts here today."

Meanwhile, back on the battlefield the Black Knights valiantly tried to hold off the multitude numbers of Sutherlands trying to push inward.

"Ugh, it's about time to put these new weapons to good use!" Asahina said as he raised his Gekka's right arm and fired three missiles that were attached to its wrist.

The missiles flew across the battlefield and managed to hit three separate Sutherlands. Once the missiles got attached to their intended targets radiation started to spur out and started to consume the Sutherlands just like the Guren's radiation wave. In a matter of seconds the Sutherlands started to overhead and exploded.

"Good job Asahina…that was a triple kill there!" Urabe said as congratulated Asahina while flying towards his position in his Gekka and a squad of Akatsuki. As they approached Asahina's position they all shot their handguns at the enemy Sutherlands, trying to hold them back.

"Yeah, but we still got a whole horde of them coming. Just look at them all!" Asahina said as the number of Sutherlands kept increasing. There was obviously twice as many Sutherlands as there were Akatsuki units.

"Hey Colonel, do you think we will be able to hold them all off here?" Urabe said asking Tohdoh this question.

"We have no choice in this matter. If we don't then all of our previous efforts up till now would have been in vain. We must hold them back no matter what the cost!" Tohdoh valiantly yelled out as he charged forward in his Zangetsu and held his Brake Sword up above his knightmare. He then swung his blade down, slicing the enemy Sutherland in front of him completely in half.

Ten more Sutherlands however flew in on the float systems and began firing their assault rifles all at once. While the Zangetsu and two Gekkas blocked the bullets with their radiation shield, the five Akatsukis however were completely blown down.

"Damn it!" Urabe shouted in frustration.

"Our shields won't hold up for much longer!" Asahina said as he saw his shield's meter nearly deplete.

One by one Sutherlands began to surround the three remaining knightmare and activating their stun tonfa. Once the Black Knights knightmares were surrounded by an encirclement, the Sutherlands were ready to charge in until…

(?'s POV)

"Begin mission."

A blue colored knightmare, which has hidden itself well deep inside a forest just right out of town, immediately swept through the trees heading straight forward to the city of Ie Shimo while carrying a daito shaped Revolving Blade Sword in its right hand. It flew straight to where the Britannian encirclement was and swung its swords at a Sutherland, slicing its torso completely in half and destroying the frame as a result.

Before the other Sutherlands could react to this newest knightmares appearance the blue machine raised its left leg in the air and kicked a nearby Sutherland so hard it sent the machine flying into another Sutherland, causing both machines to explode upon contact.

(Third Person View)

"What the hell are you guys waiting for…Destroy that thing!" General Upson to all the remaining soldiers.

"Yes, my lord!" The soldiers responded as they drew their assault rifle and started to focus fire only on the blue knightmare that just arrived.

Once the remaining Sutherlands all began to fire their assault rifles at the blue knightamre it started to fly backwards while activating its radiation shield from its two antennas. The air pack on its air wing glide system then started to open up and missiles came flying out of it, scattering all over the sky and creating explosions on Sutherlands upon impact. The Sutherlands that did manage to escape the missiles fell right into the turrets mounted on the blue knightmare and shot down into flames. The one Sutherland that remained tried to rush its way over to the blue knightmare and got its stun tonfa ready to use. However, the blue knightmare saw it coming and followed suit and charged at the Sutherland with its sword ready to use. The stun tonfa and revolving blade sword then clashed with it each other and were equally matched until the sword started to glow red. Once the sword was glowing bright red it cut right through the tonfa as if it was only butter and the pilot continued to cut off the Sutherland's arm. Now that it was caught off guard the blue knightmare grabbed the Britannian knightmare with its left arm and activated its radiation wave, burning the Sutherland to a crisp right afterwards.

"Wow, look at the thing go!" Urabe commented out loud.

"Colonel, just whose unit does that belong to?" Asahina questioned.

"I don't know." Was all Tohdoh could say as he pushed a button, trying to make contact with the blue knightmare's pilot.

"Hello, do you read me…Which unit do you belong too? Answer me!" As Tohdoh tried to make contact with the new knightmare its owner the pilot refused to respond back.

"Colonel Tohdoh, we got trouble!" A Black Knight soldier cried out.

"What is it?" Tohdoh commanded.

"Enemy reinforcements are coming! What should we do?" The soldier wondered with a hint of fear in his voice.

Tohdoh then looked towards the Britannian's main airship and saw a whole slew of Britannian Sutherlands approaching Ie Shimo and the battlefield. Tohdoh also saw the mysterious blue knightmare headed where the Britannian reinforcement were coming, getting its sword ready to use.

"What is the pilot of the unit thinking…Is he planning to take on an entire by itself?" Tohdoh questioned in disbelief at what he was seeing.

"It's only one unit…Shoot that thing that now!" General Upson commanded as he shouted out the order.

"Yes, my lord!" The Britannian soldier said in unison as they all got the muzzles on their assault rifles ready to use.

"Damn, to think one unit would give me this much trouble. I didn't think I would have to go all out on it. But at least now I won't have to worry about it much longer." Upson thought to himself with confidence.

(?' POV)

Meanwhile, sitting on top Mount Gusuku not too far from Ie Shimo a lone knightmare whose appearance looks exactly the same as the Guren Mk-I used by the Zero Squadron stares down at the city. From that position anyone could see a clear view of the whole battlefield and also see every unit active from where that spot. The pilot of this red knightmare is just sitting laid back in his chair and monitoring the field until he saw the number of Sutherlands heading for the battle site.

"Hehehe…Even the Susano'o unit would need help in this kind of situation." The pilot murmured to himself as he sat back straight up now and put on knightmare helmet on.

"Well then, let's take aim shall we? Type 01-Guren Reverse is set to go."

As he said that the Guren's eyes glowed orange signaling its awakening as it raised its right arm and a sniper rifle began to unfold itself. It then took its stance as if it was about to shoot. The sniper was about twice as long as the knightmare's arm.

"I'm targeting and ready to fire!"

After he shouted those words the rifle went off and the sniper attack flew straight into the battlefield at what seemed to be the speed of light. It flew straight past the Susano'o and into a group of Sutherland. Upon collision it exploded and took out five Sutherlands at once.

"It's him…He's here." The Susano'o pilot said under his breath as he turned his knightmare's direction to where the shot came from.

"Well I believe that was a good shot I made there. But now that I gave my location away I'll have to destroy as many of them as I can before they get over here. Susanoo's pilot, you know what to do."

"Roger." The blue knightmare quickly responded and started taking out as many Sutherlands that were nearby with its sword. Meanwhile the Guren's pilot continued to fire rounds from its sniper and destroying several Sutherlands at once with each shot. In a matter of minutes Britannia's entire air fleet was crippled and barely standing. None of the airborne Sutherlands got anywhere close to the Guren Reverse. Meanwhile the Black Knights were truly astounded by what they just witnessed.

(Third Person View)

"Wow, only two frames did all that?" Urabe shouted in amazement.

"That sure was a spectacle. But that attack the sniper user was using…doesn't it look like the same type of attack the Raiko's electromagnetic cannon used?" Asahina questioned.

"Yeah, you're right…Except now it seems like its smaller and more condensed…Which means it must be stronger too then." Urabe said with his assessment.

Meanwhile…On General Upson's Caerleon…

"Tch…Damn, how could we be outdone by two machine…How! I'm going to become the laughing stock back on the homeland because of this! Send in our final reserve force! I don't care if our main ship becomes defenseless of this…Just do it!" Upson demanded.

"Umm sir, I'm sorry to say this, but…you've already sent every unit out there a moment ago and they're all pretty much gone now…" One of the operators politely tried to explain.

"W-what…! Damn it all…Then get a hold of Calares for me then! I seems I have no choice." Upson angrily said in a fit of rage.

"Roger sir!"

Meanwhile, down on the ground troops' forces Calares was commanding his forces with ease, the Sutherlands and Gloucesters were not only destroying every unit they come across but also creating havoc on the city of Ie Shimo itself, demolishing every building they storm across.

"Yes, that's right, obliterate everything you come across! Show these rabid dogs Britannia's might and then give them some…Hmm…"

As Calares issued out orders from his G1 Base he received a message from General Upson.

"Sir, its open channel from General Upson!" One of the operators shouted out.

"And just what does he want?" Calares wondered as Upson's face appeared on a screen.

"And just what do you want?" Calares said to Upson's face.

"There's something I need your help with."

"Oh yeah, and just what would that be?"

"Do you see that blue knightmare in the sky?" Upson said which caused Calares to look through the windows to see the Susano'o still airborne.

"Yeah, what about it, get the point!"

"I want you to shoot it down with all the heavy arms you got. Do it now!" Upson demanded.

"Oh yeah, and why the hell don't you do it yourself! Where's all your forces?"

"That unit was more troublesome than I thought. It nearly wiped the entire air fleet out.

"Tch…useless air fleet. Fine, I'll blow it to smithereens and then continue with my glorious campaign." Calares said as he cut contact with General Upson.

"Okay, all forces, focus your aim on that blue knightmare! We'll saw that so-called General how it's done!"

As Calares threw his hand out all of the Sutherlands and Gloucesters surrounding the G1 Base picked their giant cannon and aimed their weapon at the Susano'o.

"Now Fi…" Before Calares could issue his command one of the operators announced something.

"Commander…!"

"W-What is it? Can't you see I'm about to…"

"Something just appeared before us. That strange, I can't pick it up on the radar for some reason." The operator said in a confused manner.

"What…what is it…What the…?" As Calares looked out the window he saw a white knightmare standing alone in front of the Calares' G1 Base and his troops.

The knightamre standing before them looked like the Guren Mk-I except it was white with what looked like a beetle horn attached to its head. Also, it seemed to have something attached to its right arm as well.

"Tch…that pilot thinks it's going to take me by itself? Shoot it down!" Calares ordered as all the Sutherlands and Gloucesters aimed their weapons at the white knightmare that just appeared.

(?'s POV)

"This is Type-01C Byakuen…OZ speaking here. I have confirmed the location here. I will operate as the plan dictates." The young man known as OZ then pressed a button on his controls systems which caused the beetle like horn to give off an eerie sound.

"Now, activating Gefjun Breaker!" OZ shouted out as the Gefjun Disturber type weapon started to spread 100 meters throughout the city, causing all electronics, the knightmares, including the Byakuen itself to shut down.

"Objective cleared, now I will the rest to you guys." OZ calmly said as he started to relax in his knightmare.

(Third Person View)

Back in the G1 Base, the main command room was dark as the lights were turned off and the operating systems stopped working.

"Huh, what's going on? My screen just turned off!" One of the operators said in a panic.

"Just what the hell is going on! Could that white knightmare done something just now…Is it responsible for this?" Calares wondered.

Just then, not too long after the power went out a new knightmare appeared. It came from behind a large building and flew right above the Byakuen.

"What the hell…?" Calares yelled out.

It was a silver colored knightmare with an appearance similar to an Akatsuki, albeit a much bulkier Akatsuki. It also had what appeared to be two large cannons on top on its shoulders. The only other distinction was that its head was faceless, it didn't even have a monoptic eye.

"Tsukuyomi…" The pilot quietly whispered as two orange, large beams shot out from the cannons.

The beams traveled down the road, tearing the concrete apart as well as the now unoperational knightmares. Once the beams did connect with its target it torn knightmare after knightmare into oblivion. Nothing was able to survive the beams as it blew everything away.

"Objective clear…" The pilot of the silver knightmare said after destroying every Britannian ground troop it could find.

Meanwhile, up in the air the Guren Reverse met up with the Susano'o and they both looked down at the white and silver knightmares.

"And so the second phase…" The blue knightmare pilot started to say.

"…Is now complete…" The red pilot finished up the sentence.

"So, how many Sutherlands did you destroy?" The red knightmare pilot asked.

"I destroyed sixteen." The blue pilot responded.

"Hah, I shot twenty of them…I win this round." The red pilot said as he gloated.

"Now is not the time for that." The Susano'o pilot warned.

"Yeah I know, well, come on…while the Byakuen gets itself recharged we'll move on ahead to the final phase. We'll leave whatever is left here to Tsukuyomi's pilot." After the red pilot said that the Guren Reverse began to move and left the city.

"Right." After taking one last look at the Zangetsu and the other knightmares belonging to the Black Knights the Susano'o left the area as well.

(Third Person View)

"Colonel, what should we do about those foreign knightmares?" Asahina asked over the intercom as he made contact with Tohdoh.

"Tohdoh just looked down at what used to be Ie Shimo and saw nothing but destroyed buildings and flames everywhere, with the appearance now almost reminding him of what the ghettos looked like. The white and silver machines were also still down there. He then looked up and saw the blue and red knightmare leaving the area. Most of the Britannian forces were either already defeated or whoever was left decided to leave secretly.

"It doesn't look like the Britannians are going to attack anymore. If possible I would like to contact one of those pilots who just helped out but…maybe we should report to Zero before we take any further action. I wonder how his forces are holding up in Naha." Tohdoh said as he was about to get a line to connect him with Zero but then suddenly noticed something.

"What a minute…Those two knightmares that just left the place, the direction they seem to be taking is in Naha's direction. Are they planning to…?" Tohdoh suddenly thought to himself.

**Location: Naha**

Back in Naha, the battle rages on in almost the exact same way as yesterday's battle. While the Akatsuki units are able to hold the Sutherland units in the air back thanks to the well devised tactics set by Zero the ground troops are engaged in one serious deadlock; Cornelia, Guilford, the Glaston Knights, and the rest of her royal guard try to push themselves further into the city limits but Kallen, the Zero Squadron and other Akatsuki units are able to hold them at bay.

"This is Japanese territory now! You Britannians don't belong here anymore!" Kallen yelled out as the fingers of the Guren Mk-II's radiation surger started to glow. She then outstretched the machine's right hand forward and released a radiation beam.

The beam went flying forward and while Cornelia and Guilford were able to dodge the attack with their knightmares two unfortunate Gloucesters got hit and burnt into nothing.

"You're going to need more than that to hit me, lowborn scum!" Cornelia shouted as she charged forward with her jousting lance in front of her Gloucester.

Kallen made the Guren dodge the lance with ease by jumping over it and then using her air wing system to fly out of the lance's striking point.

"Try and hit me now!" Kallen taunted as she made the Guren launch its grenade launcher from its left hand.

Cornelia blocked the attack by covering the Gloucester with the mantle. After she blocked the grenade attack she unveiled her Gloucester again and began firing with the assault rifle.

Kallen warded off the bullets by activating the Guren radiate shield system and red wall form in front of her knightmare.

Seeing that the assault rifle wasn't working Cornelia put the rifle away and threw her jousting lance straight at the Guren Mk-II, hoping that it would go through the shield.

While the lance was moving straight and accurately towards the Guren Mk-II, Kallen saw it easily and moved out of the way with ease.

"Heh, I got you now vermin." Cornelia said with a smile on her face as a Sutherland appeared right behind Kallen's new position with its jousting lance ready to use and aimed right at the Guren Mk-II's cockpit. By the time Kallen turned her head to see what was behind her the Sutherland was already charging in ready to attack.

"Huh...oh no…!" Kallen yelled out but before the Sutherland could connect with its target it was suddenly shot down and exploded.

"H-Huh…what happened…"

The next thing Kallen knew several small explosions were going off in the air with Sutherlands being destroyed left and right on the battlefield. She looked around to see what the attacks were coming from and saw a red knightmare on floating at the opposite side of the city, away from the battlefield, shooting everything down with a sniper rifle.

"That red knightmare…Is that the knightmare causing all of this? Wait a minute…it looks like a Guren Mk-I but, I don't remember that one being in the Zero Squad or one wielding a sniper rifle like that one…Who is in that Guren?" As Kallen asked these questions to herself she suddenly noticed something moving on the ground and saw the blue knightmare from yesterday.

"That's the…" Kallen blurted out.

On the ground the Susano'o was about to attack Cornelia's Gloucester with its sword until a jousting lance went flying towards it and it had to stop moving. The Jousting Lance landed right in front of the blue knightmare and stabbed itself deep into the ground. Guilford then arrived in his Gloucester.

"Guilford, what are you…" Cornelia started to say.

"Princess, please let me be the one who fights this one. I must regain my honor from yesterday's defeat…Please Princess Cornelia!"n Guilford said with his head bowed down.

"…Very well, destroy that thing once and for all…That's an order Guilford!" Cornelia demanded.

"Yes, I shall return victorious!" Guilford said as his Gloucester pulled out a MVS Sword from behind its mantle.

Guilford's Gloucester then charged forward and clashed blades with the blue knightmare.

"Face me you blue demon!" Guilford shouted as his sword pressed down on the blue knightmare's sword. Guilford's Gloucester then pulled out another sword from its mantle with its free hand and was going to strike the Susano'o with it. However, the blue knightmare caught the second sword with its left hand and started up the radiation wave causing the sword to break with Guilford letting go it. The Susanoo's sword then started to glow red and cut right through the Gloucester's first sword with the blue knightmare then slamming the Gloucester with a body slam, making it stumble backwards. Turrets then appeared on the Susanoo's shoulders and rapidly shot Guilford's Gloucester down, forcing him to eject and retreat.

"I'm sorry Princess, I failed you as your knight. I couldn't defeat it yesterday with the Vincent and failed again today. Until next time blue demon!" Guilford swore as the cockpit heading back to Britannia's escape route.

"Why you!" Cornelia shouted out as she readied her Gloucester's assault rifle but before she could fire the blue knightmare had its left arm stretched out.

"Oh, you have beam like weapon too huh, well I'm ready for you!" Cornelia said as she put the assault rifle down and was prepared to move her Gloucester out of the way.

Once its finger lit up the Susano'o attacked with its radiation surger. However, instead of a beam attack like before it was a wide range attack, covering a much larger area. Cornelia and the rest of her royal guard were struck by it but none of them were destroyed. After the attack finished they tried to moved but their Gloucesters wouldn't budge.

"What the…The controls are jammed up somehow!" Cornelia shouted out.

"Heh, now they are easy pickings for me!" The pilot of the Guren Reverse said as the red knightamre appeared above Cornelia and her royal guard and began shooting them down one by one.

"Tch…all forces retreat! We're done here! Send a report to Princess Maribelle that the ground forces are leaving the battlefield!" Cornelia said with her final order as she ejected from her knightmare before it was destroyed.

"Yes, my lord!" One of the soldiers said as he sent a message to Maribelle before ejecting as well.

After shooting down all the Gloucesters it could see it stopped and folded its sniper rifle back away.

"Whew...That takes care of the ground troops. All that's left now is the air fleet. But any second now…" As the pilot of the red knightmare finished his sentence two orange beams shot through the air, destroying several airborne Sutherlands at once.

"Here it comes…" The red knightmare pilot said as he turned around and saw the silver knightmare appear and blowing away Sutherlands with the beams being shot from its two cannons on its shoulders.

Right next to the silver knightmare the Byakuen flying right next to it. Its pilot scanned the ground and noticed the Lancelot Grail heavily injuring two Guren Mk-I's.

"I've detected the Lancelot Grail commander. That woman must piloting it. Permission to engage to unit?" The white knightmare pilot asked over a communication line.

"Permission has been granted." The white pilot emotionlessly responded as the Byakuen dived towards the ground and revealed a cannon from what appeared to be a toolbox it carried on its right arm and began shooting the red Britannian frame with a yellow colored shot, almost similar to what the Guren Reverse was using with its sniper rifle.

Oldrin saw the attacks from the air coming and moved the Lancelot Grail out of the way, letting the two Guren Mk-I's go in the process. When she saw the Byakuen land she immediately recognized it.

"Y-You, I saw you in Area 18 once!" Oldrin shouted out as she made the Lancelot Grail prepare two steel swords in its hands.

The Byakuen continued to shoot at the Lancelot Grail with its cannon while the Lancelot Grail dodged every blow while closing the gap between the two frames. Once the Lancelot Grail got close to the Byakuen the white knightmare put the cannon back in its toolbox and a sharp jagged blade appeared this time. The Lancelot Grail swung its sword and clashed with the white knightmare's blade. Both sides refused to let up for a while until both decided to break away at the same time. The Lancelot Grail then repeatedly swung of its swords over and over again, each time the white knightmare blocked the swords perfectly with its single jagged blade. It seemed like the red knightmare was never going to stop until Oldrin received a message from Maribelle.

"Oldrin, it's time for us to evacuate from this area." Maribelle said over the communication line.

"Huh, but why…?" Oldrin asked confused.

"Cornelia has already withdrawn her troops and our air fleet is almost finished up here. I have also received news that our forces in Ie Shimo have lost their battle as well. It is going to become dangerous if you remain out there any longer. Please withdraw at once." Maribelle ordered.

"Yes, milady!" Oldrin responded as she cut communication.

But before she going to leave she going to go one more time at trying to defeat the white knightmare before her.

Meanwhile, on the Byakuen's side, its pilot also received communication from the Guren Reverse.

"Hey OZ, the Tsukuyomi unit has finished its job up here. It's time for us to get out here. Return to us at once so we can leave." The red knightmare pilot said.

"Roger that." OZ responded.

OZ was ready to get the Byakuen to evacuate but he noticed the Lancelot Grail charging at him again, ready to attack with both swords at once.

"Tch…why you!" OZ said as he prepared brought out another blade from his toolbox and formed a double jagged blade. He then fired the Byakuen's single slash harken and hit the Lancelot Grail's foot, causing it to slow down and stumble.

"This is my fang!" OZ yelled out as he moved in front of the Lancelot Grail and slashed across its chest, damaging its factspheres in the process.

"Oh no…!" Oldrin shouted out as the factspheres stopped working.

The Byakuen then activated its air wing system and started to fly towards the sea where the Susano'o, Guren Reverse, and Tsukuyomi units were floating.

"So, did you have fun fighting your sister? She looks just like a feminine version of you right?" The red pilot said in a joking manner.

"Be quiet you…Stop joking around." OZ calmly said.

"Okay, okay, everything else we need to do here in Japan is up to the commander now. You know what to do OZ…If you would so please…" The red knightmare pilot ordered.

"I know." The Byakuen then flew in front of them and the air pack of its air wing system opened up revealing several missiles.

"Now fly my fangs!" OZ yelled out as missiles flew out of the air pack and scattered all over the sky.

Meanwhile Kallen, who was in the air with Guren Mk-II, noticed the missiles flying all over the air.

"What the…What the heck are planning to do now?" Kallen wondered as the missiles then all went off at the exact same. After that chaffsmoke was released from the missiles and air was covered in what looked like a fog now.

"What…This is…chaffsmoke?" Kallen wondered as she couldn't see anything anymore and of course, her IFF signals stopped working.

After what seemed like being forever in the chaffsmoke the fog finally cleared and the mysterious knightmares were gone. The Britannian forces seemed to have cleared the area as well. With nothing left to do in Naha Kallen returned to the Ikaruga and awaited further orders.

**Location: "Tokyo Settlement"-Now called "New Tokyo City"**

Once everything calmed down on the Okinawa Islands the Ikaruga returned to Japan's capital, New Tokyo City. Once their Zero gathered all of his most important members together for a meeting. Those who appeared include, Tohdoh, Ohgi, Kirihara, Diethard, Rakshata, even C.C. herself, and even their special guest Li Xingke joined in.

"Is it really true that Britannia completely cleared out of the area?" Zero asked in disbelief.

"Yes, the information is accurate. For some reason or another the Britannian forces completely left the Japan zone and are heading for Area 7." Diethard said as he gave a report on his findings.

"So, we don't have to worry about them anymore for right now right?" Ohgi said as he felt more relieved.

"Or it could be that they are just resupplying themselves, getting ready to attack us again. You did say they stopped in Area 7 right?" Tohdoh questioned.

"Correct, they are heading straight for Area 7. But even if they do plan to attack us again they will probably be awhile before they make another such attempt." Diethard calmly said.

"Then it's like that then. If they are in Area 7 to resupply themselves they are going to come here again, if they are not then they must be halting build a stronger army then. Either way, it also gives us plenty of time to build up too. The first thing we must do is build up our defensive for whatever decision Britannia decides to make. There's no such thing as being too careful. Now with the Britannian matter behind us, our next topic up discussing is…those mysterious knightmares." Zero said as he moved on to the next subject.

"There's four machines now." Diethard reported.

"That kind of information is irrelevant. We can't be sure that there is only four machines."Zero said with his hands clasped together.

"You mean there might be more of them?" Ohgi questioned.

"It seems they favor tactics that involves them using the least amount of units necessary. So, any ideas as to who they are?" Zero asked the group.

"They could be the Knights of the Blue Moon…perhaps…" C.C. quietly mumbled but was loud enough for everyone to hear.

"The Knights of the Blue Moon huh…well that's not completely impossible." Ohgi commented.

"But there is a very good chance that its them…given the circumstances." Diethard added in.

"Then we'll move forward based on this assumption for now. Tohdoh, did you get any luck in communicating with any of them?" Zero said as he looked over at Tohdoh.

"Sorry, I failed to speak with any one of them. When I tried to open a communication line with them it was immediately rejected. And when our troops tried to get close to the ones that remained behind the silver knightmare aimed its cannon at our forces, as if it was giving us a warning that it would fire if we even attempted to get close to them. I decided it was best to wait a few minute making any action but after awhile the white knightmare started to move again and frame left the area before we could take further action." Tohdoh said as he looked down towards the end of his report.

"…I see, Kirihara, you wouldn't happen to know anything about related to those knightmares now would you?" Zero said as he now looked over at Kirihara.

"I'm sorry Zero but this is the first time I've heard about such knightmares. I know for sure that the Kyoto House is in no way involved with those machines, I assure you." Kirihara said in all honesty.

"I see…so that means the Militarized Zone of India is responsible for the creation of such machines. Rakshata, if there is anything you can tell us about those machines then please share it with us." Zero's direction was now facing Rakshata as she put her pipe down.

"Hmm, I can't tell you much but…the Militarized Zone of India did make those machines. Each one is based on either the Guren, Gekka, or Akatsuki unit as well as being specifically customized to match its intended pilot. The rest is confidential. I am glad to see my creations operating past my expectation though." After adding in that last bit of unnecessary info Rakshata clamped back up again.

"Well, that wasn't much information." Ohgi commented.

"It's enough to go by for now. And what about you our special guest, you wouldn't happen to know anything about those knightmares or the Order of the Blue Moon in general now would you?" The faces were now aimed at Li Xingke.

"I've told you already; The Chinese Federation has nothing to do with that organization." Xingke said in a calm and sedate manner.

"But answer me this…have that organization not helped your country expand by driving away Britannian officials from area close to the Chinese Federation?" Zero questioned.

"That part is true but it's not like we ever expected the them to appear. They just show up, do whatever they want, and then leave without leaving a trace they ever existed. And don't forget, that group attacked us as much as they help us, destroying their military bases and supply buildings. But now that I think about it, they any recently started that as soon as the High Eunuchs started cooperating with Britannia." Xingke said as if suddenly realizing something.

"Hmm…that's interesting…Well in that case our next course of action will be to deal with those knightmares." Zero said as he stood up.

"And how will we do that?" Ohgi asked out.

"By capturing one of their knightmares and forcing its pilot to tell everything about their organization that they belong to, whether it's the Blue Moon Knights or someone else entirely!" Zero said stating their next course of action.

"Oho, is that so?" Diethard said in an excited manner.

"W-We're really going to do that?" Ohgi wondered.

"Using what we currently know about them and the data we collected on the last two battles I will certainly come up with a plan to trap those knightmares. They won't get away from us a third time! We will make them talk!" Zero said in a charismatic manner.

"Besides, they've only been about to do all things they did by using our forces as decoys while they moved out from the shadows. I refuse to be used by someone else, especially someone who I can't even see and know about!" Zero added in.

"…You don't like that." C.C. commented.

"Anyways, before this meeting is adjourned there is something I would like to confirm…About the High Eunuchs and the Chinese Federation as a whole…" Xingke said as he got himself back into the meeting.

"Don't worry, as soon as we're finished our two main problems the Black Knights will make plans for the Chinese Federation. I plan to help your people just as I did with the Japanese." Zero confidently said.

"I see…then I'll save planning until my next visit to Japan. My time for representing my country for now is almost up. I must return soon." Xingke said as he got up from his seat.

"Yes, this meeting for now is over!" After Zero said that everyone rose up and proceeded to leave the room.

After the meeting was over Li Xingke was standing outside Tokyo's government bureau waiting around until a limousine suddenly pulled up in front of him. A woman with brown named Zhou Xianglin came out of the back seat's door and welcomed home.

"Hello lord Xingke, is the meeting finished?" Xianglin politely asked.

"Yes, it is." After giving a short reply the two of them got inside the limousine.

"So, are we heading for the airport?" Xianglin questioned.

"Not yet, there is a place I must still visit before we head back home." Xingke sternly replied.

**Location: Tokyo Warehouse out in the Ports**

Once the limousine that Xingke was riding in arrived at the area port he and Xianglin got out and after telling the driver to wait for them they entered into one of the warehouses.

"Do you really believe they'll show themselves in a place like this?" Xianglin said in a concerned voice as they came inside only to see boxed lined up.

"Well, this is supposed to be the place they told us that they will be at so…" After Xingke said that he noticed someone approaching from the shadows of further inside the warehouse and kept his right hand on the sword he carried by his side just in case.

The person who appeared from the shadows was wearing a cloak around themselves and their face was hidden by a hoodie. It was impossible for the duo to tell who it was, especially since it was nighttime. Xingke then noticed another individual appearing from the shadows. They were also hiding themselves behind a cloak and hoodie. The second person standing behind the first person must be a guard or something, just in case something goes wrong.

"Hello, Li Xingke, and good evening." The first person spoke out. However, Xingke couldn't tell if it was a male or a female since the voice was so distorted and unfiltered. They must have some kind of special equipment hooked to their mouths to hide their identity.

"And you are…?" Xingke spouted out the question.

"I'm sorry that we're hiding ourselves from you like this but it was necessary that we keep our identities a secret from everyone, including would-be partnership. But I can assure you that I am the commander of the four knightmares that appeared today on the Okinawa Islands. I was the one giving them their orders." The hooded figure spoke out.

"You commanded them very skillfully today." Xingke said giving out a compliment.

"Why, thank you…I do have experience commanding such small squads on the battlefield after all. So, on to the main subject…You want us, the Order of the Blue Moon Knights, to assist what's bothering you in the Chinese Federation correct, even after asking the Japan and the Black Knights for help?" The hooded figure said.

"Yes well, I'm willing to cooperate with as many groups as possible to help the Chinese Federation and my empress." Xingke said as he looked down.

"I see, well you're lucky because we of the Knights of the Blue Moon also wish for the restoration of the Chinese Federation and putting the empress back in power." The hooded figure responded.

"So, are we in agreement of a partnership then?" Xianglin asked.

"We will help, but we'll keep operating under our own jurisdiction. We don't plan to fight side by side with the militaries of countries…Not yet anyways."

"Very well, if that's all you have to say then…" Xingke was ready to turn around and leave until the hooded figure spoke out.

"There's one more thing I would like to say. I can tell you're doubting us and just want you to know something. If you go to Kamine Island there is a knightmare there that we will give to you for agreeing to cooperate with us. None of our pilots are up to pilot it but I believe if you were to take control of it we would see its true capabilities." The hooded figure spoke out.

"So you are willing to share your military strength with us after all?" Xingke said confused but with a patient face.

"Like I said, our group is in agreement with yours. We want your people to have it in the hopes that, once the order has been restored in China, that it can mass produced, strengthening your greatly and proving to be a match against Britannia. And also, if you come to Kamine Island, I will be allowed to show you my face directly, improving our relationships' partnership greatly in the process."

"I see…Very well."

After giving a short bow to the two hooded figures Xingke and Xianglin left the port in their limousine again.

"Xingke, what do you plan on doing? Do you plan on going to the island like they said." Xianglin asked once they were in the vehicle again.

"I don't know who exactly they are or what they are planning, for all we know it could be a trap but, I'm interested in those people just like I am with Zero and the Black Knights. And they did promise to show their faces if we go so…"

The limousine then continued to head to the airport where Xingke and Xianglin boarded their personal transport plane.

**Location: Britannian Main Airship Granberry's Command Room**

As the Granberry continued its way towards Area 7, Oldrin just finished during maintenance and repairs on her knightmare. When she entered the airships main command room she heard Maribelle giving out a loud sigh.

"Are you okay Princess Maribelle?" Oldrin asked as she greeted the 88th Princess of Britannia.

"Hmm…yeah I'm okay now. I'm just glad I'm finally relieved of my duties here. Especially since not only did those guys in Ie Shimo failed miserable, we had to go put them up in Yoron Island and put them on our ship. According to reports they lost almost all their forces besides a few operators and soldiers that managed to escape with Calares and Upson to Yoron Island. Although I guess it doesn't really matter since there are way less people here on the Granberry and other carrier ships than when we started. We lost a lot of lives fighting the Black Knights, as well as those four mysterious knightmares that showed up as well." Oldrin continued to listen as Princess Maribelle continued to talk about the past few days on Okinawa Island.

"So what are we going to do now milady?" Oldrin asked.

"Well, I don't know about you but I'm taking the next week off. I don't care what the Imperial Family has to say. Even though we technically lost I say the two of us deserve a break from all this fighting. I'm taking the Granberry back home too." Maribelle responded.

"We're going to take a week off!" Oldrin said excited.

"Yep, so what do you plan to do for your week off?" Maribelle asked in a curious manner.

"Hmm…well maybe I'll go hang out with some friends of mine. Oh, wait, I forgot that some of them are in the Knights of the Round now so, I hope they'll be available." Oldrin said.

"Oh I see, girl's get out huh? Well maybe I'll show up for awhile too then."

After saying that the Granberry continued on its way back to Britannia.

Moving on to the next Stage…

**Author Notes: Please forgive the obvious references from another show you might know about. I couldn't help myself but to add them in for this chapter. Anyways, now for the next chapter it's going to be like Chapter 15, a chapter entirely from the Britannian's POV back on the homeland. Most(but not all) of the Knights of the Round will appear in the next chapter as well. One final thing, in case you all don't know yet recently a set of side stories based on Code Geass: Colorless Memories are being written by blackmambauk that you can read and review to. I'll have a link to it on my profile so go ahead and check it out. Good day to you all.**


	28. Chapter 28

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 28: The Knights of the Round

(The opening monologue done by C.C.)

_Pendragon,__ the capital city of the Holy Britannian Empire...located just in front of several mountain in the southern Region of Arizona…is named after the surname of the legendary British Kings Uther and Arthur. The city where the members of the Imperial Family as well as the Knights of the Round call, their home…The majority of the Britannian Imperial Family reside in the district of the capital known as Saint Darwin Street, named after the naturalist known as Charles Darwin who is reserved as a saint in Britannia for his theory of evolution. It is also a city of lights that gleams the gloomy night skies. The current emperor, Charles zi Britannia, resided in the Pendragon Imperial Palace, which, along with Belial Palace, Warwick Palace, and the Imperial Villa at Aries, which also houses the beautiful aerial gardens at Aries, is where the Imperial Family lives their lives._

_After Charles Darwin (1854 a.t.b.-1927 a.t.b.) first proposed his Theory of Evolution, it was later appropriated by the philosophy of Social Darwinism, and it was caught on through the eyes of Britannia. The idea that conflict and competition promoted growth, that those who conquered and subjugated other people were justified in doing so, became well-accepted by Britannians, particularly, those in the military and nobility. They saw it as the ultimate justification for their struggle to claw back from the brink of extinction and over the decades turn themselves into a world power once again, and for their campaign of survival, conquest, and, ultimately, revenge. _

_The Holy Britannian Empire utterly embraced Social Darwinism not only as a national ethos and mentality, but even as something akin to a state religion; Charles Darwin came to be referred to as Saint Darwin, and as an example, it became highly believed that the current emperor, Charles zi Britannia, may very well have been named after the naturalist. The subjugation and oppression of non-Britannians became a systematically applied set of negative virtues, which brought about the act of Britannia "reforming itself along Prussian lines" as the society became almost entirely dedicated to the military effort and further conquests as it plans to defeat the E.U. and also take control of the Fuji Mines again located in the United States of Japan. How far Britannia can go in its quest for conquest however is currently unknown…_

Location: The city of Pendragon-Inside a fast food restaurant

As Oldrin walked through the doors and entered the fast food restaurant she scanned around the room trying to decide where she wanted to sit. After a few seconds she was had her sights set on where so was going to sit down when she heard a voice call out to her.

"Hey Oldrin, over here!"

Oldrin turned her head to where the voice was coming from and saw two girls sitting at a table by the windows. A smile then formed on her face as she waved over to the girls.

"Marika Soresi, Liliana Vergamon, you guys actually came!" Oldrin cried out as she ran over to and sat down at the table with them. The three of them then started to talk about various subjects. While they were talking a waitress came and asked Oldrin if she could take her order.

"Would you like anything to eat?" The waitress asked.

"Oh, I will take the regular." Oldrin responded.

"Okay, it will be ready soon." After writing down Oldrin's order the waitress started to walk away as the three girls continue to talk.

"It's nice that the three of us are able to get together like this again!" Oldrin started to say.

"Yeah it is…But when you consider our duties in the military it gets harder to do things like this though. So, I already heard everything about what happened over in Japan. It must have been stressful huh?" Marika asked.

"Yeah, it was stressful, but I think Princess Maribelle was more stressed out than I was though." Oldrin added in.

"She was huh, well that's probably because she's used to dealing with small terrorist groups instead of fighting in a warzone." Liliana said.

"Anyways, you guys just came back from fighting in the E.U. correct?" Oldrin said changing the subject.

"Yeah we did…It's getting more rough and worse over there every day." Liliana said as she sat back in her seat.

"Our Britannian forces had a good start earlier in the war but now…The E.U. is holding the line over the land still in their possession. It's even becoming harder for us in the Knights of the Round as well." Marika said as she gave a sigh.

"Oh yeah, that's right, I keep finding it hard to believe you two are in the Knights of the Round." Oldrin as she started to laugh under her breath.

"Hey, what does that suppose to mean...? Oh well, never mind." Marika said.

"So, you're the Knight of Eleven, right Marika?" Oldrin said as she looked over at Marika.

"No Oldrin, that's incorrect. I'm the Knight of Five; she's the Knight of Eleven." Marika said as she pointed over at Liliana.

"Oh, sorry." Oldrin apologetically said.

The Knights of the Round…they are the twelve strongest soldiers in the Britannian Military. They are considered part of the Emperor's royal guard and are given special privilege and authority in Britannian, even outside the Imperial Family. A member of the Round also cannot be punished under a crime unless it's from the Emperor himself punishing them. To become a member of the Round is considered an honor in Britannia.

"Although, it's not like there's a major difference in the number we're given. Unless you're the Knight of One, numbers two- to-twelve all technically have the same rights. Only the one who bears the title of Knight of One who can get technically anything he or she desires." Marika added in.

"It must be really nice to be one of the Round huh?" Oldrin asked.

"Yeah, it has only been a few months ago when we were accepted but I'm enjoying my new position." Marika said glad fully.

"Yep, I'm sure am I decided to join the Knights of the Round instead of that other position." Liliana added in.

"Hmm…what other position?" Oldrin curiously asked.

"Well, Liliana and I were thinking about becoming part of the Knight of Ten's, Luciano Bradley's, Valkyrie Squad because he was the Vampire of Britannia but…" Marika then stopped midsentence.

"But when we met the guy in person he didn't turn out to be the kind of person we thought he would be, nor did he sparkle the way we were expecting him to." Liliana finished.

"And so, after we turn that idea down we decided to aim higher and become Knights of the Round, and with Princess Cornelia's help, we were accepted in." Marika said.

"By the way Oldrin, why didn't you join the Knights of the Round? I'm sure you must have received an invitation and plenty of recommendations to join considering your skills." Lilianna asked as she face Oldrin's direction.

When asked that question it caused Oldrin to look down sheepishly.

"Well, it's true that I did receive an invitation to join but…I turned it down." Oldrin said.

"What, you did, why?" Both Marika and Lilianna said at the same time as the stood up from their chairs.

"Well, the main reason I turned the offer down is just…I wasn't interested in joining…that's all. I'm already a member in the Glinda Knights and I already like the position I'm in being Maribelle's knight. I just want to serve under her…That's what I want to do." Oldrin proudly said.

"You two always were close to each other, even back in the Military Academy." Marika said.

"Yeah, we are." Oldrin admitted.

"Speaking of close friends, I'm sure you know by now but our other friend Michael Steinburg has also recently joined the Knights of the Round." Liliana said as she brought up a new subject.

"Oh yes, I do know that. He's the Knight of Eight now isn't he? I'm happy for him as his friend that he made such an achievement." Oldrin said.

"So, do you still like him?" Liliana curiously asked.

"H-huh, w-what makes you think that I like him that way?" Oldrin panicky said as she turned her head away as her face started to turn red.

"Well, if I remember correctly he was a member of the Glinda Knights too once upon a time." Liliana said as she brought that up.

"…That was several years ago…and besides, during that time he got moved around a lot in the military." Oldrin responded.

"And you never talked to him about it either?" Marika asked as she joined in on the conversation.

"Well, it's not like I attempted to but…for some reason or another you can't sit down with that guy for five minutes without him wanting to go on the next mission or assignment. I still remember him always asking Maribelle what we were going to do next which resulted in her getting ticked off at him sometimes and told him to calm down and relax sometimes." Oldrin said.

"Well I suppose he always was a dumbass when it came to things outside the military." Liliana said as she started to laugh out loud.

"Yeah, he probably wouldn't understand things like romance even if it slapped him right across the face." Marika said.

"And the guy can really crack you up on all his talking about how he'll defeat all the terrorists and criminals threatening Britannia in the name of peace and justice and all that other stuff." Lilianna said as she and Marika continued to laugh out loud now.

"Come on guys, calm down…It's not that funny nor is he that bad of a person." Oldrin said as she tried to calm the two girls down.

"Okay, okay, but I do have to admit that back when we were all in the Britannian Military Academy he was a decent guy. I even thought he looked handsome with those reading glasses he wore back then too, it made him look intelligent. And he was always polite and honest about everything he said and did." Marika truthfully said.

"Yeah, I was kind of sad when he decided to ditch the glasses after he graduated…But while we are on reminiscing the days back in the Military Academy, if I remember correctly you two were also talking to each other out in the halls during break times. You never did tell us what that was all about!" Liliana said as she started to giggle to herself.

"I-I told you already, it was never anything like that…Seriously…" Oldrin said as she started to sigh to herself with her hand over her head.

"The way I remember it he was always asking you to study with him and the two of you would go to the library after school. Can you explain to us what the two of you were really doing during that time?" Marika pointed out.

"H-huh, we were studying of course. Since nobody else would help him he would always ask me since I was the only one besides Maribelle who was always at the top of the class. We would always spend some time after school to study and boost our academics. That also explains why he eventually surpassed you're grades as well!" Oldrin said explaining the situation to the two Knights of the Round.

"Okay, okay, I get it. While I was never in the top five in our classes I sure was always somewhere in the top ten." Marika pointed out.

"Me too!" Liliana said.

"Well, Michael will always be a friend of ours…even if he has let the whole knight and honor code get to him a little too deep inside that skull of his." Marika said.

"Yeah, even if he does have a nasty looking scar across his face now." Liliana added in.

"Eh…nasty-looking scar?" Oldrin wondered out loud.

"Yeah, don't you know, while he was in Area 11 two years ago he scratched got across the left side of his face from what seemed to be a knife. He doesn't like to talk about but it's obvious to me that he got it from there." Marika said.

"Not to mention the scar looks very ugly." Liliana added in.

"Oh, I wouldn't say it looks nasty or ugly. I thought that scar actually made him look cooler you know?" Oldrin said with a pleasant smile on her face which caused Marika and Liliana to form freaked out looks on their faces.

"Are you serious Oldrin? You were obviously just kidding there, right?" Marika asked worryingly."

"No I'm not, I'm serious!" Oldrin reassured herself.

"Whatever…It's not like he purposely tries to show it off to people anyways. Ever since he got that scar and came back to the homeland he started to wear that face mask in the hopes of hiding it from everyone." Marika responded as she shrugged off Oldrin statement.

"And because of that face mask we in the Knights of the Round have started to call him Sir Sagramore." Liliana said as she started to laugh again.

"Sir Sagramore…why call him that?" Oldrin said with a puzzled look.

"I don't know…It was Lady Nonnette who started calling him that and we just went along with it." Liliana said in all honestly.

"Do you really think we should be talking about him like this? I mean, we're basically spouting all this stuff about him behind his back." Oldrin worryingly said.

"Does that really matter…this is a girls meeting anyways…we can whatever we want about him and anyone else for that matter!" Liliana shouted out in all her enthusiasm. Oldrin however was not really satisfied with Liliana's response so Marika started to speak up.

"Alright, how about this then…I'm sure you must have heard all the complaints the nobles are making about one of the Knights of the Round right? You know who I'm talking about…" Marika eagerly said.

"You mean Suzaku Kururugi, right?" Oldrin calmly said.

"Yep, that's the one. Even though Prince Schniezel and the Emperor himself allowed it, the nobles are making fuss over it."

"But technically, there is no rule saying a Knight of the Round has to be a Britannian or non-Britannian to join." Oldrin said as she calmly took a sip from her drink.

"Well, this has got the nobles into trying to get some law passed saying any knight in Britannia has to be from Britannian blood. So far though, they haven't been making any success with that, seeing how popular Kururugi has gotten recently with several important members of the Imperial Family and other Britannian Knights." Liliana reported.

"Suzaku still has as much hatred towards him here in Britannia as he does acceptance. Considering that he's from a country that broke away from us…" Marika said.

"But he's proven to us his determination to be accepted towards us Britannians though. I mean, look at his past actions." Oldrin pointed out.

"Yeah, you got that right. I remember during the Black Rebellion two years ago he went against Zero and fought the Black Knights for us Britannians. And even though we lost, he still returned to the homeland with us and swore that he would continue to fight for Britannia."

"And then during the still ongoing Britannian/E.U. war I heard he raised all kinds of hell for the E.U. and their soldiers. He was even able to defeat their so called Hannibal's Ghost and several of their special forces." Liliana added in.

"The guy sure is strange but he seems to be getting along well with the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, though." Marika said.

"Yeah, whenever I see those two guys together I always see Gino having his arms around Suzaku. They look really cute when their together like that though." Liliana said as a gleeful smile formed on her face.

"Liliana, not like that…." Oldrin said as she let out a high sigh.

"Yeah well, Gino likes to put his arm around Suzaku about as much as he likes having girls chasing him around all the time. He's really is an oddball sometimes." Marika said as she scratched the side of her head.

"Anyways, I sure Mr. Kururugi has honorable reasons for the decisions he made, even if others do give him the evil eye."

"Well, whether Suzaku is doing the right thing or not is really any of our concern. It's Princess Euphemia I'm more worried about. People have been saying all kinds of crap about her." Marika said.

"Yeah, Princess Maribelle told me all about it. She says that the entire Imperial Family is giving her the cold shoulder and that only her older sister Cornelia is still backing her up. Because of that Euphemia mostly keeps to herself and hardly ever leaves her room anymore. And when does leave her room to go outside, she always has to make sure she wears a disguise so people don't recognize her." Oldrin sorrowfully said.

"Yep, and it's all because of that so called special zone she tried to proposed two years ago in Japan." Marika said.

"And I really thought it would bring peace to the land." Oldrin said with a sad look on her face.

"But of course the special zone was going to be a failure. Pretty much every Britannian saw that coming. Especially since all the nobles were pissed about it. And when you invite someone like Zero into it you're just asking for trouble…Big mistake there." Marika said.

"And after it was all over with it caused a mountain full of rumors to spread across the world, especially after the special zone failed followed by the massacre and Euphemia surrendering Area 11 to Zero. You still hear people talking about how Euphemia was conspiring with Zero from the beginning, that she was a firm believer in his ideals and that the whole thing was their secret plan all along. There are even rumors about her being Zero's secret lover." Liliana went on and on.

"It doesn't help that Euphemia claims that she doesn't remember anything that happened during the ceremony or the massacre either and that the only ones who were able to witness it all were Zero and the few followers he brought with him there…Everyone else died. It also seems that Zero plans to hide what really happened as he hasn't given the world a clear explanation on what went down that day. He tends to just skip that part and only talk about the Rebellion and criticizing us Britannians instead for causing the whole thing!" Marika retorted out.

"But there are still those who believe in her right?" Oldrin asked.

"Yeah, but not that many, especially after all of that."

"Well, I still believe in her." Oldrin admitted.

"Oldrin, you would believe in the slightest hope of anything if it had a chance." Liliana said.

"Well I think that without the truth in hand we can't just assume anything we want. It's the facts that shed light on everything." Oldrin said.

The girls then continue to talk while constantly changing the subject until Maribelle, who was wearing a disguise while walking into the restaurant. When she saw the three girls sitting at a table talking out loud to each other Maribelle walked over to the table and stood right in front it. The three girls then looked over at the figure standing in front of them and immediately recognized the person as Maribelle even though she was wearing a disguise.

"Oh, hello there Princess!" Marika said out loud in such a way that no one would suspect her.

"Hello, you three seem to be enjoying your time off." Maribelle pleasantly said.

"Yeah, we sure are!" The three of them excitedly said.

"Not to be rude or anything Maribelle…but why are you here?" Liliana asked kindly.

"Well I was just wondering what I was going to do today when I heard from some members of the Imperial Family that there was going to be a knightmare exhibition battle today down at the Stadium. Instead of normal soldiers showing off the knightmare frames they were able to get two Knights of the Round to participate in today's match. I was wondering if you girls were willing to come with me to watch. I guarantee you that we will get the best spots to sit and watch." Maribelle said in a kind and pleasant tone of voice.

After the three girls glanced at each other all three of them shook their head yes.

"Yeah, we'll come!" The three girls excitingly said.

"Good, then let's get going then."

Location: Stadium Outside of the Stadium

After quickly finishing their meals, drinks, and paying for it all the four girls left the restaurant and got on a bus that led to the Stadium which was located just outside of Pendragon. The stadium was 240 yards long and 100 yards wide. It was also able to hold up to 50,000 people although unless there was an important event going on most seats were left vacant.

Maribelle, Oldrin, Marika, Liliana, a few members of the Imperial Family, some nobles and several commoners were present to see today's matchup. Maribelle and the others were allowed to sit up on the top of the stadium, which had the best view of the entire stadium, with the other members of the Imperial Family. After getting themselves some situated in their seats with their soft drinks the four girls were ready to watch today's spectacle.

Down on the stadium floor two knightmares were on standby as several wires connected the machines with a console placed in the middle of the stadium. To avoid potential danger and damage to the pilots and the people watching all battles are done in simulations with a console projecting holograms of the knightmares fighting to the spectators so they could watch and see the battle without any potential threat to them. Today's matchup was the Knight of Nine, Nonnette Enneagram, with her personal knightmare Griflet versus the Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, and his personal knightmare, the Tristan.

Once both pilots entered the cockpits of their knightmares the console started to light up and holograms of the two knightmares appeared before everyone.

"Well Knight of Three, are you ready. Let's give these good people a show for them to remember. Also, since we're both Knight of the Round, there's no need for either of us to hold back!" Nonnette promptly said as her knightmare raised her jousting lance in the air. The humungous lance then change colors from yellow to red, as her lance was being powered by the Blaze Luminous System.

Nonnette's knightmare, the Griflet, is an Eighth generation knightmare frame built specifically and only for the Knight of Nine. Its outward appearance is very reminiscent to what a heavily customized Gloucester would look like. It is even equipped with a jousting lance and assault rifle, though the weapons themselves have also been adjusted and enhanced to fit Nonnette's personal settings. The Griflet's color scheme was the same as most Gloucesters, a lavender type of color except the Griflet had a much darker lavender color to it.

"You stole the words right out of my mouth Lady Nonnette! A battle with a Knight of the Round…I couldn't ask for a better opponent worthy to test my abilities!" Gino eagerly replied as his hologram knightmare started to wake up and move.

Gino's knightmare, the Tristan, was also an Eighth generation knightmare built by the Weinberg family to be customized and made specifically for the Knight of Three's personal use. Its appearance was different from most Britannian knightmares but like most knightmares in the Knights of the Round, it had the common white color scheme with blue and gold trims around the body. The Tristan's main purpose is for aircraft superiority. This knightmare also had its own unique set of armaments.

"Okay, ready, begin!" the referee said as he raised his hand down and the two knightmares took action.

The second the referee swung his hand down the Griflet immediately pulled its assault rifle out and began firing bullets rapidly out of it and ended with a grenade launcher being shot out of it. The Tristan only had a few seconds to react and dodge but was able to skillfully swing its body around, out of the assault rifles attack range. After that scene of display the Griflet put the rifle away and charged forward with the red jousting lance activated attempted to pierce right through the Tristan right there and then. Gino was able to quickly react however by morphing the Tristan into what looked like a jet and took for the skies.

"Geezs…what they said about the Knight of Nine were true, she is like a panther, a purple panther at that! This might turn out to be even more exciting than I originally imagined!" Gino excitedly said as the Tristan flew around in the sky above the stadium.

After the Tristan turned around and had a good view of the Griflet it began firing from the two machine guns equipped while it was in jet mode. Nonnette blocked the attacked however by using the jousting lance itself as a shield.

"Oh, so we're trying to use the skies to your advantage eh? That is your machine's specialty after…However…" Nonnette commented as she aimed the lance towards the skies where the Tristan was currently flying around at.

The red jousting lance then began to fire missile particle shots powered by the Blaze Luminous system from the tip of the lance. The shots began firing quickly and rapidly just like with the assault rifle.

"Whoa, that lance of yours sure is special! I'll have to keep my eye on it…or better yet, destroy it!" Gino said as the Tristan glided around the missile particles and tried to get a good view to aim at the Griflet.

Once he found the perfect firing position while still dodging the missile particles the two blue gigantic slash harkens equipped to the side of the jet shaped knightmre stretched outward and a white light started to form between the two slash harkens.

"Take this!" Gino shouted as a white hyper powered beam fired and blew through the small beam particles that got caught in the blast.

Seeing the beam cannon coming closer to her knightmare, Nonnette knew she wouldn't be able to move out of the way in time so she just stuck the red lance in front of itself and blocked the cannon with just that. When the beam collided with the lance a small explosion occurred and smoke covered the lance and the Griflet. After eagerly awaiting for the smoke to clear the crowd was in dead silence until it finally cleared revealing that while the lance was heavily damaged it could still be use. The outer layer of the lance, which was covered by the blaze luminous system, was cracked when struck by the Tristan's hyper cannon and was now unusable for the time being, and was back to being the yellow standard type of jousting lance most Gloucester use. The Griflet meanwhile, received little to no damage at all and stood tall with its lance at its side.

"I'm still in this people!" Nonnette proudly said which received several cheers from the crowd.

"Still around eh…That's to be expected from a knight of the round." Gino commented as he began to fire from the Tristan's machine guns again.

As the row of bullets drew closer to the Griflet Nonnette made her knightmare take off its mantle and then throw it in front of itself, protecting it from the Tristan's attack.

"I think I'll take this battle up a notch and move the battle into your domain, the skies!" Nonnette shouted out as a float system started to unfold itself behind the knightmare's shoulders.

After it finished unfolding itself the Griflet quickly got off the ground and flew straight forward where the Tristan was currently coasting along in the air. The Griflet then pulled its assault rifle back out and violently shot bullets out of it. Seeing that he wasn't going to be able to get away from the Griflet now that it was flying too Gino made his knightmare fly closer to where the Griflet was charging while still avoiding the assault rifles attacks. Once Gino thought he was close enough he made the Tristan change back into knightmare form and pulled out what seemed to be two polearms.

"Yeah…Go Gino…Whooo!" Liliana shouted out from the stands.

"Calm down Liliana, you're getting too loud!" Marika said as the rest of them continued to root for the person they wanted to win.

Back in the skies the Tristan combined both polearms together to form what now looked like a Maser Vibration Deathscythe. The Tristan then charged forward as well and swung its scythe down at the still charging Griflet, knocking the assault rifle out of its right hand. But that didn't seem to stop Nonnette in the least as she continued to charge forward and attempted to attack with her damaged jousting lance. Gino, now shocked that Nonnette planned to attack him no matter what, to try to move his knightmare out of way. With the little time he had however, he wasn't able to completely dodge the attack as the lance pierced right through the Tristan's right arm, severing half of its right arm away from the rest of the knightmare, the deathscythe with it.

"Oh crap, now what!" Gino panicky said as he noticed the bad situation he was in.

The jousting lance however, crumbled away into little pieces after the attack as it was severely damaged by the Tristan's cannon attack earlier in the battle. This didn't seem to faze Nonnette as at however as she made the Griflet kick the Tristan back with its left foot caused Gino to bounce around in his cockpit and leaving him wide open for her next and final attack.

"Now!" Nonnette yelled as the Griflet pulled two Maser Vibration Swords out from behind the knightmare's back.

The Griflet then appeared in front of the Tristan and swung both of its swords at the vulnerable knightmare, slicing it into three separate parts now, its legs, the main body, and the upper part of knightmare. The Tristan then soon exploded, signaling the end of the battle.

After the holograms disappeared Nonnette came out of the cockpit and stood on top of one of the Griflet's shoulders while waving her hands at the crowd with a pleasant smile on her face.

"So everyone, was that an amazing fight or what? Come on people, let me hear you!" Nonnette screamed out as she received several cheers from the crowd.

"Make sure to give some to our other contestant here today as well. He's deserves some as well!" Nonnette said as she aimed her finger at the cockpit of the Tristan.

Gino also got out of his knightmare, but he didn't appear to be sad about losing. In fact, he seemed happy that he was able fight someone with skills equal to himself. He also stood on his knightmare and waved his hands at the crowd which responded in more cheering. The cheering continued to go on for several minutes. When they finally calmed down both Knights of the Round and their knightmares took off and left the stadium. Meanwhile, up in the stands Maribelle, Oldrin, Marika and Liliana were up in the stands wondering what they should do now that the exhibition match was over.

"So, what should we do now?" Liliana asked.

"I don't know…" Marika responded.

It was at this moment that Marika and Liliana suddenly received a message on their phones.

"Oh, I wonder what that is…" Marika said as both of them looked down at their phones.

After looking down and reading the message on their phones they both looked back up and looked at Oldrin.

"Sorry Oldrin, back it looks like there's a member that we in the Knights of the Round have to attend." Marika said in sorry tone of voice.

"Yeah sorry, we have our duties to attend to. We'll hang out some other time." Liliana said reassuringly.

"Yeah, maybe another time then. I guess I'll go find something else to do."

After getting there things together Marika and Liliana started to head for Knights of the Round meeting place while Oldrin took off with Maribelle.

Location: Knights of the Round Room

Inside the Pendragon Imperial Palace, beside the Britannian Conference Room, a room where many of Britannian Officials go for meeting concerning the country, there is also a room where the Knights of the Round meet. In the center of this room lie a table shaped like a circle and looks like an O. It can seat up to thirteen people, mostly for numbers one to twelve of the Knights of the Round and the Emperor himself. Today, the Knight of One, Bismarck Waldstein, a man who easily recognized as his left eye has been stitched shut, called for a group meeting and asked for all the members to come and for the most part everyone besides the Knight of Two and the Knight of Ten arrived. Once everyone he thought was going to appear was seated he stood up from his seat with a piece of paper in his hand.

"Before we begin I just want to double check to see everyone who showed up for today…Let's see here…" Bismarck said as he constantly looked up and down at the paper while scanning all the seats open and the ones that were taken.

"Besides myself, the Knight of One there's Knight of Three, Gino Weinberg, Knight of Four, Dorothea Ernst, Knight of Five, Marika Soresi, Knight of Six, Anya Alstreim, Knight of Seven, Suzaku Kururugi, Knight of Eight, Michael Steinberg, Knight of Nine, Nonnette Enneagram, Knight of Eleven, Liliana Vergamon, and finally Knight of Twelve, Monica Kruszewski are present here in this room."

After he was finished taking roll call Bismarck sat back down.

"Hey, wait of minute…Aren't we missing a few people…Where are the Knights of Two and Ten?" Monica questioned out loud.

"Yes, well, Sir Bradley is still fighting in the E.U. and the Knight of Two…well, you know how he is, he's a very busy man." Bismarck explained.

"Always busy huh…hmph, that guy always seems to be busy twenty four hours a day and never attends these meetings. In fact, I been in the Knights of the Round for a long time and I've only seen and spoken to the Knight of Two a total of ten times. And speaking of the Knights of the Round in general, Bismarck, do you mind explaining to me…since when did the Round Table became a social gathering for teenagers?" Dorothea said as she moved her hand towards the table and made Bismarck take notice of all the new recruits that we recently inducted and how they all seemed to be in their late teens.

"I wonder how many of them got in just because they're from nobility?" Monica sarcastically said as she was checking her nails.

"Now, now, enough of this…Yes, it may be true they're young but they wouldn't have been able to get this far if they didn't have at least some skill. And look at young Anya over there; she's the youngest member to enroll in the Knights of the Round, and only at the age of sixteen. She must no doubt possess some sharp skills indeed." Bismarck said as he and Dorothea looked over at the young pink haired girl, who was currently staring blankly down at her camera-shaped phone and didn't even seemed interested in today's meeting.

"Well it's true that she was being taught by Marianne the Flash before her death but…" Dorothea started to comment.

"Oh, why should age be considered at all with something like this? I mean, here in the Knights of the Round, we're all equal and have the same rights here. Besides, all these younger folks might be able to bring excitement to this group." Nonnette cheerfully said.

"Nonnette, of course you would find that enjoyable in a matter like this…" Dorothea said as she placed her arm on the table and hid her face behind her hand.

The people in the room continue to talk like chatterboxes until Bismarck suddenly called out and raised his voice above everyone else's.

"Alright, that's enough social talk for now! I would like to discuss the reason why I've summoned you all here today." After Bismarck got his message across the room it became dead silent and Bismarck sat back down in his own seat.

"Thank you, now I'm sure you're all aware by now that Britannia, as of right now, is not only in war against the E.U. but also with the United States of Japan, the country that broke away from Britannia two years ago. The reason I have called you all here today is because Emperor Charles himself has asked me to deploy up to three Knights of the Round into our next battle with Japan, as our previous invasion ended in failure." Bismarck said as he gave out the reason for the meeting.

"Oh, so the Emperor finally getting serious now isn't he?" Nonnette said with a smile forming on her face.

"We weren't really expecting to overthrow the country on our first attempt anyways. It was really only a test run for us to match the difference in military strength." Dorothea harshly responded.

"Yes, but this time we will show the Black Knights, and the rest of the world for that matter, what Britannia's true strength is. So, do we have any volunteers? I obviously must remain here on the homeland so it's up to the rest of you to decide who should go into battle." Bismarck asked as he looked at everyone in the room.

The room was quiet for several minutes with each member trying to decide for themselves if they even wanted to enlist in the next invasion of Japan. Finally, one male with brown hair stood up from his seat.

"I'll go." Suzaku Kururugi calmly said.

"The Knight of Seven eh, okay who else…" Before Bismarck could finish Dorothea spoke out against him.

"Wait a minute, I object to this Bismarck! I believe sending him to fight in Japan would be a mistake!"

"Not to mention his ties to that country." Monica added in.

However, Suzaku didn't seemed faze by either woman's response and continue to stand there facing forward with a calm look on his face.

"I'm already aware of that, but I believe we already went through this when Sir Kururugi was invited to join the Round Table. Yes, he's a member of an Area that managed to break away from us but he's proven himself to Britannia by the countless victories he's brought us by silencing other Areas that tried to rebel and break free from us as well as being a major help in the war with European Union. Also, Princess Cornelia, Prince Schniezel, and Emperor Charles himeslf have acknowledged him as one of us. Now, can we please stop bringing that up." Bismarck said with a small hint of showing annoyance in his tone of voice.

"…Fine." Dorothea said in defeat.

"If Suzaku is going then I will head out as well!" Gino proudly said as he rose from his seat.

"Gino Weinberg, the Knight of Three huh…" Bismarck wondered.

"I may even get a chance to fight that Guren girl Suzaku told me about. He told me she's really something!" Gino continued on.

"I'll go as well…that makes three now doesn't it?" Anya quietly said as she continued to stare down at her phone, giving little regard to the meeting. It seems that she's only agreeing to go so the meeting will end faster.

"Well, I guess with Lady Anya that does make three." Bismarck remarked.

"Three of newcomers eh, I don't expect much from them but, it beats having to go myself." Monica commented.

"Since Sir Kururugi is going I'll leave him in charge…And before you all say anything the reason why I'm doing is for tactical reasons. Since the Knight of Seven used to live there he is very familiar with geographical area. I believe if he's the one leading us it would be to our best advantage." Bismarck said explaining his reasons.

"Thank you, Knight of One. I will not fail you all."

After giving thanks for those words of gratitude Suzaku gave Bismarck a short bow.

"Hmph…of course you won't." Bismarck responded by giving Suzaku a small smirk.

"So along with the Knights of Three, Six, Seven and their forces; Cornelia and her royal guards will be deployed once again along with General Upson and Calares as well. It has also been authorized that we will send out the newest mass production models of the Vincent, the Vincent Wards, as well. The Spearhead of Britannia, Guilford, will also be receiving one of the Vincents, except it will be one of the commander models." Bismarck said with his report.

"The Vincent may be the newest and strongest mass production model but it still doesn't compare with our custom Knights of the Round knightmares." Liliana commented.

"Oh yes, that reminds me, the Pluton Squads will also be deploying this time." Bismarck said as he was about to wrap up this meeting.

"Just what the hell is the Pluton Organization doing heading out to the battlefield? I thought they were a bunch of hit and run sissies who hid in the shadows and did all the dirty jobs for the Imperial Family." Dorothea said mocking Britannia's Pluton Organization.

"Well that's all they mostly did back when Oiaguro Zevon was charge in the organization. But ever since he died from what the reports apparently say the cause of death was a 'heart attack', a new leader took over and he said that he wanted to try actual combat instead of the usual missions the Pluton participate in. Also, he said that the Zevon family's secret prototype knightmare is finished and that he wishes to test it out so data can be collected on it in the hopes of mass producing it in the future. Well, I think that's just about everything we discuss here today. Those of you who are heading to fight in Japan will need to head for the California Base, depart there, and head to Princess Cornelia's position at Area 6. She will give you the rest of the details explaining when they will attack and everything. Now, if you excuse me, I must report back to the Emperor now. You are all dismissed now!"

And with that Bismarck got up and left the room. Soon afterwards the other Knights of the Round stood up and started to disperse from the room as well with their own plans.

Location: The Imperial Throne

After walking down several hallways Bismarck finally arrived at his destination…the room holding the Imperial Throne. Once he entered inside and walked straight down the red carpet he found the emperor himself seated on the throne at the end where the carpet stopped. As Bismarck stood in front of the emperor he knelt down on one knee before him while holding on to a large sword that slept in its sheath and stood by his side.

"I have returned your majesty!" Bismarck proudly said.

"Ah, Bismarck, and what do you have to tell me today?" Charles said as stood tall on his seat.

"I'm here to report that the second attempt to take over Japan again is about to go underway. This time we've sent three Knights of the Round, one of them is Sir Kururugi my lord."

"Him eh...heh, I wonder how he will use that information we fed to him about Zero. But really now, having to take down a country twice just to gain control over a thought elevator…" Charles mused.

"This time we'll make sure to wipe away all form of resistance, even if it has to be through war, which I detest dearly." Bismarck said.

"Yes, it's really sad…that humans can only understand each other through killing and massive bloodshed of each other…eagerly lusting for war and fighting. But soon that kind of thinking will cease to exist…with Britannia now in control of the eastern side of the E.U. we now have five thought elevators. That just leaves the thought elevator on the land the E.U. still possess, the one close to the United States of Japan, and the one located in the Chinese Federation."

"But once Prince Schniezel convinces the High Eunuchs to surrender their country over to us it will only be a simple matter of wiping the other two countries out to gain their thought elevators."

"Yes, and after that the convergence of the Ragnarok Connection will happen and then these things called war will cease to be. The world will move in the way it was suppose to be before those foolsh bastards called 'the holy saints' screwed the world up. Even E.E. will have to admit that for her wish to come true, it will have to wait until after Ragnarok for it to happen. Where have that woman been lately anyways?" Charles asked.

"She was sleeping in her thought elevator for a while but for the past couple years she has been constantly on the move. During that time her thought elevator has also been tightly shut down and inaccessible. Nobody from the Geass Order has been able to track her down either."

"Well, I can understand that…According to V.V. she has cut herself away from the Geass Order for about, how long was it now, a thousand years or so, and that by itself caused enough problems. In any case, whatever the woman has been up to is of little concern to us." Charles said as he shrugged the thought away from his mind.

"As for the upcoming battles, if it gets too out of hand I might have to…" Before Bismarck could finish speaking however Charles cut him off.

"Are you saying that you, the Knight of One, is waiting for an excuse to head out into battle? By all means, you can head out any time you wish even without my ordering you to." Charles said as he started to laugh out loud.

"It's only been thanks to you that I have the power to be the Knight of One, as well as being blessed to wield the mighty sword stuck in the stone, Excalibur…" Bismarck said as he gripped his hand hard on the hilt of the sword resting on his side.

"Well in any case, as long as we have that man working behind the shadows for us, I don't believe you will even need to step foot on the battlefield."

"That sounds good to me. A battlefield is the last place I want to wind up on. Then, I will take my leave now."

After saying that Bismarck got up picked up the large sword with one hand, turned around and began walking towards the exit.

Moving on to the Next Stage…

**Author Note: I know that compared to the last two chapters this one is shorter and things might be moving a little slowly. But in the next chapter things will start to pick back up as more and new stuff will be revealed. Oh, and before you say anything, yes, all the Knights of the Round will get their time in the spotlight eventually, so just be patient on that.**


	29. Chapter 29

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 29: Surprises Around Every Corner

**August 19, 2017 a.t.b.**

"_Are you really going to leave the Black Knights?"_

"…_Yes."_

"_Are you sure about this?"_

"_I'm done with what I came here to do. There's no reason for me to remain in the Black Knights any longer. My time here in Japan…is over."_

From the other side of the door Kallen froze up from hearing the discussion, who was about to enter the room herself but accidently heard what was being said. She then unconsciously dropped everything she was carrying and started to run away, not wanting to believe the voices, the things they were talking about and felt as if a deep pain has struck her heart. Once she exited through the hospital's entrance she looked up at a window on the third floor and saw that it had its curtains closed.

"Did…did Rai really say that…that he was quitting the Black Knights and leaving Japan? But why…Why would he do that…Why would he want to do that…? Right after Japan was going to find peace and freedom he…And just when I was starting to think that we could…And that other voice…it sounded like Zero but…his tone of voice and pitch sounded more like…but why would he and Rai be talking about the Black Knights…unless…"

Confused about the current situation Kallen started to run again until she ran into Kaguya at the end of the street, causing the young girl who looked like a shrine maiden to fall down backwards.

"Ahh!" Kaguya yelled out as she fell over.

"Oh, I'm sorry." Kallen apologetically said as she offered her hand in helping Kaguya stand back up.

"No, I'm alright. Hey, you're the ace of the Black Knights, Kallen Kozuki, right?" Kaguya excitingly said as she looked up at Kallen.

"Huh…Y-Yes, I am. But, you're Kaguya Sumeragi right?" Kallen asked back.

"Why yes, I am." Kaguya happily said.

"Then, what's a member of Kyoto doing out here?" Kallen said questioning the girl's reason for being out in broad daylight.

"Why, I'm here to visit oni-chan of course!" Kaguya happily proclaimed as she spread her arms outward.

"Oni-chan…Oh, you mean your cousin Rai?"

"Yes." Kaguya responded.

"I see…hey, do you mind if we talk for a little while before you go see your cousin?" Kallen asked with a somewhat solemn look on her face.

"Well, I guess I can spare some time. What do you want to talk about?"

Kallen and Kaguya then down at a table outside a restaurant and started to talk to each other about Rai for a while. As they continued to talk, the minutes seemed to have flown by.

"…So you made him carry you all the way back to Kyoto?" Kallen said as she and Kaguya giggled to each other at the table.

"Yep, I just jumped on his back and he carried me all the way home. And then we all ate supper together before he went back to the hideout." Kaguya spouted out in joy.

"Yeah, I used to do things like that with my older brother too…" Kallen continued to rant on until she suddenly paused for a moment.

"…You're really fond of your cousin, aren't you Kaguya?" Kallen asked as a small smile started to form on her face.

"Of course I do!" Kaguya replied back as her face beamed.

"Even though you've only met him recently?"

"Well, it's not like I never knew he existed. While I never met them in person before until just recently I do have pictures of him and his family. Here, see."

Kaguya then handed a photo over to Kallen for her to look at. Kallen then looked down at the photo to see a ten year old Rai, his seven year sister Sakura, and Rai's mother who had her arms around her two kids. All three of them looked like they were happy, especially Rai, when compared to the face that he wears now these days. A soft smile then formed on her face as she looked down at the photo. While Rai did talk with her about his family once this was the first time Kallen saw what they actually looked like. His mother definitely looked very similar to Kaguya, and Sakura, even though she had pink hair; the resemblance to her mother was there. Once she was done staring at the photo Kallen handed it back to Kaguya.

"You must have been happy to have finally met one of your relatives." Kallen finally said.

"Yes, I was overjoyed." Kaguya excitingly said once again.

"Is that so, but, even though you finally got to meet him, what if Rai said that he was going to leave Japan, how would you react to that?" Kallen said as her tone of voice suddenly started to sound more serious.

"Huh, what if oni-chan was leaving Japan…? Well, I guess I would be really sad to see him leave…" Kaguya said as her eyes started to sadden.

"But, I'm sure he would have a very good reason as to why he would be departing and that he would definitely come back someday."

"…A reason for why he would leave…Hmm..." Kallen murmured under her breath so Kaguya couldn't hear her.

"Why do you ask that anyways…Is there something going on with oni-chan that I don't know about?" Kaguya curiously asked.

"Huh…uh…no, I was just wondering, that's all!" Kallen frantically said as she was snapped out of her train of thought.

"Anyways, look at the time. I think I've kept you here long enough. You were coming here to visit Rai after all." Kallen said as she decided to stand up.

"Yeah, you're right. But then again, it's not like he's leaving the hospital and going anywhere until tomorrow!" Kaguya said as she got up as well.

"Yeah…tomorrow…" Kallen sadly whispered.

"Well, I'll speak to you again another time then, Ms. Ace of the Black Knights! I need to go visit oni-chan now!" After giving a wave goodbye Kaguya turned around and walked down the street towards the hospital.

"That's right, I'm the Ace of the Black Knights…And Rai, he is the…"

After staring down and talking to her feet Kallen decided to leave the area as well and headed for Ashford Academy. Once she arrived on school grounds Kallen noticed that the whole place was barren, as the school has temporarily shut down due to reconstruction. The students living in the dorms have also returned to their families. As Kallen continued to stare out into the empty campus she eventually heard footsteps heading for her direction. She turned her head to where the footsteps were coming from and saw the blonde haired student council president, Milly Ashford, coming out from the corner of a building.

"Hello Kallen, you said that you wanted to speak to me correct?" Milly said in her usual loud and cheerful voice.

"Y-Yeah, there are some things that I would like to get your opinion on." Kallen dejectedly said.

"Sure, what is it?"

Kallen then started to explain to Milly on how she overheard Rai in the hospital and that he might be leaving the country. After Kallen finished explaining the current situation to her Milly stood there with her arms folded around herself as she pondered to herself on what Kallen just said.

"Hmm…So Rai is going to leave huh…Wow, that is a shocker…But, if that is what he wants to do, I suppose that is for the best then." Milly replied.

"Huh, and you're really okay with that Milly?" Kallen questioned in confusing.

"Well it's not like there's anything I can do to stop him. And besides, this school was only supposed to be a temporary place for him to stay anyways. I'm frankly surprised he stayed for as long as he did actually." Milly said with a smile on her face and then she looked up at the evening sky.

"You know, Rai has only been in student council for three month but…to me, it feels like he's always been part of the group." Milly said in all honesty.

Milly then continued to talk about Rai while Kallen listened to her.

"So, I guess that means you're going to leave with him too right?"

When Milly asked that question it woke Kallen out of her daze, whom seemed to have been contemplating about something.

"Huh, oh, what…?" Kallen said as suddenly looked up at Milly.

"I'm asking if you are also going to leave and be at his side. After all, everywhere I look you two always seem to be together."

"W-We're not always together! How many times do I have to tell you…" Kallen looked away while trying to correct Milly's belief but was suddenly cut off by what Milly had to say next.

"But you do like him don't you…even you can't hide that fact from me, especially after seeing you two at the last school festival." Milly said with a smile on her face.

"I'm…not quite sure about my feelings for him anymore…Not after what happened today." Kallen sadly responded as she looked down at her feet.

"Well if you're not sure then maybe you should talk with him and tell Rai what you do feel towards him."

"Huh…but that's…"

"If you never sit down and tell Rai how you feel towards him how do you expect him to respond back to you the same way? And while Rai is able to get along with any girl close to his age, when it comes to matters of intimacy he's not good about talking about things related to that. He even told me that once."

"_Well, he always did seem to keep to himself."_ Kallen thought to himself.

"I…still need time to think so I can confirm what I really think about Rai. But even then, there is still school and academics that I need to think about. What does Rai plan to do about his education?" Kallen asked out loud.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. Lelouch already told me about his past and intellect. Apparently, Rai's mother homeschooled him for most of his life and kept him well above the normal academic curriculum. Technically speaking, he already has the knowledge necessary to graduate high school. But then again, what would you expect from a family that brims with intelligence." Milly proudfully said.

"Oh I see…Wait a minute, how does Lelouch know about Rai and his past!?" Kallen blurted out with a puzzled look on her face.

"Huh, I thought you already knew about it…that Lelouch is…"

Before Milly could finish her sentence however her phone started to ring. The student council president then picked it up and saw who was trying to contact her.

"Oh sorry, please excuse me for a moment. This is an important phone call I have to answer to." Milly said as she walked a far distance away while she talked to the person over the phone. A few minutes later Milly returned as she put the phone back away.

"I'm sorry Kallen, as much as I would like to continue talking with you about Rai there are some matters I must attend to with my family in person. Oh, and don't forget everything I told you about today." Milly said as she gave a quick wave goodbye and proceeded to leave the academy grounds.

"W-Wait Milly, you still haven't told my why…" Kallen tried to call Milly back but the blonde haired girl was already gone.

It was then just Kallen again standing alone in the abandon campus.

"_Milly said she learned about Rai's past from Lelouch. But then, how did Lelouch obtain that information. I thought that only members of the Black Knights and Kyoto were supposed to know about it. Did Rai possibly tell Lelouch the truth? But, what reason would Rai have to tell someone like him about his past for…Now that I think about it, ever since Rai got his memories back he and Lelouch have been hanging out with each other more frequently, and Lelouch has been acting awfully nice to him lately for some reason. Zero has also been calling Rai to his office almost every night as well. Apparently, there must be something going on with the three of them that I don't know about. But I'm going to find out right now!"_

Kallen then proceeded to stomp her way over to the clubhouse. Once she made it inside she walked down the halls and stood in front of the door leading to Lelouch's bedroom. There, she pulled out her pouch and held on to it with her right hand, ready to whip out the hidden knife concealed it, as she knocked on the door with her left hand.

"Lelouch, if you're in there you better open up because there's something we need to talk about!" Kallen yelled in a harsh tone of voice as she banged on the door.

After a few minutes of waiting however it became obvious that Lelouch wasn't in his room. Giving up on that, Kallen walked down the hall where Lelouch and his sister Nunnally would eat at. She then knocked on that door hoping he would show up. When the door opened however, it revealed that Nunnally was the one who answered the door with her maid Sayoko standing behind her.

"Um…hello, who's there?" Nunnally asked.

"Oh, it's me. Is your older brother here right now? There's something urgent I need to speak to him about." Kallen asked in her kind and polite tone of voice, in the way she used to sound like when she was pretending to be sickly at school. Even though Kallen was wearing her Black Knights uniform it wouldn't matter since Nunnally wouldn't be able to see her anyways.

"I'm sorry, but Lelouch isn't here right now." Sayoko answered for Nunnally.

"My big brother said he was going out to visit Rai in the hospital today, but he hasn't been back since." Nunnally said.

"I see…did he say when he was coming back?" Kallen asked.

"I apologize, but the master will not be back until late tonight." Sayoko replied.

"Oh, is that so. I apologize for bothering you two then. I'll be leaving now." Kallen said as she gave a quick wave goodbye and proceeded to swiftly leave the building.

"_I guess I have no choice but to ask the mask itself."_ Kallen thought as she headed over to the government bureau.

When Kallen arrived at the government bureau she immediately walked down the hallways and

She then continued on down the hall until she arrived at a door that led to a room that Zero was currently using, which used to be Cornelia's room when she was the Viceroy. Kallen then raised up her left hand and was ready to knock on the door.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door Lelouch, who had his mask off at the moment, was sitting down at Cornelia's desk and was about to send an e-mail to the Kyoto house regarding details of future reconstruction plans for the United States of Japan when he heard a knock on the door.

"Yes, who is it?" Lelouch said in a deeper tone of voice to make himself sound more like his Zero persona. He also placed his left hand on his zero mask and was prepared to swiftly put it on depending on who was at the door.

"It's me, Kallen. There's something I want to talk to you about. Can I come in?" Kallen said on the other side of the door.

"Sure, just give me a second here." Lelouch replied as he picked up his zero mask and covered his head with it.

"Okay, you can come in now." Zero said as he placed both of his hands on the desk before him.

He then watched as the door slowly opened and the red haired Black Knight soldier walked in. Once she got through the door Kallen turned around and closed the door behind her.

"There, now there's no one to get in my way. And your green haired mistress isn't here either…" Kallen quietly murmured.

"So, what is it that you needed to discuss with me about?" Zero questioned.

"Zero…before I say anything else I just want you to know that…ever since you appeared and took arms against Britannia I slowly started to believe that you was the hero who was going to save Japan and I admire you greatly for that. It didn't matter to me who you really were under that mask, just the thought that we had a great leader like you charging us into the battlefield to defeat Britannia was good enough. And now that Japan is freed you will probably be remembered by the Japanese people as their savior who brought peace to their land by the tyrannical Britannia." Kallen finished saying.

"Thank you Kallen…You're words are filled with kindness. We of the Black Knights have walked a long and ardent road to get where we are today. The success of the Black Rebellion was the first huge step to acquiring peace in this land. But the Black Knights isn't finished with its duties quite yet. Britannia will no doubt come back someday as well as other countries who will try to stick their nose into our business. We must be prepared to deal any threats that would dare try to infiltrate the United States of Japan. Which means I'll be counting on you and the all the other in the Black Knights."

"Yes sir." Kallen said with a salute.

"Sorry, I got a little off track there. You still have something to say to me?" Zero asked.

"Oh yeah, that's right. I pretty much said everything I wanted to say to Zero. Now, for the one who's hiding his face under that mask…" As Kallen said that she pulled out a pistol and aimed it at Zero's face.

"There's something I need to know about Rai, and you…but in order to do that…I need to know who you are under that mask. I feel that, in order to learn the truth about something that's been bothering me all day, I won't turn a blind eye to your secret identity anymore. I want to see your real face Zero!."

After Kallen finished saying both of them still for a few seconds and neither one of them move. Then, after that brief moment of silence Zero started to break out in a small chuckle to himself.

"Heh heh, she really is a wild one. Rai was right, it was only a matter of time before she would try to come after my identity in some fashion like this." Zero said under his breath as he continue to chuckle.

"W-What's so funny?!" Kallen said as she waved the gun in her hand, aiming it at Zero's face. However, the gun didn't even seem to faze Zero at all and got up, stood in front of his desk, and then sat back down on the top of his desk.

"So, you want to know who Zero's true identity is correct?" Zero mockingly said.

"Y-Yes…" Kallen said as she calm herself back down.

"Hmmm…Well, I suppose now is as good of a time as ever to show you. You are the one who will lead the Zero Squadron in future battles and who also seems to have a very, close relationship to Rai, the one who I consider to be my most trustworthy ally. But before I do, are really sure you want to know? You might not like what you will see." Zero said with caution.

"Just…show me already!" Kallen said as she was riled up again and focused her gun more clearly at Zero again.

"Very well, Zero's true identity is…"

As Zero said that he placed his left hand over his mask. The mask then slowly slid off revealing Lelouch's face, who was also wearing an eye patch over his left eye.

"So, now you know…that Zero, your so called hero who smites injustices and the savior of the Japanese, is a Britannian known Lelouch Lamperouge. I bet you're thrilled to discover that." Lelouch proudly said in his normal tone of voice as a skeptical smile formed on his face.

When Kallen saw Lelouch's face she seemed shocked to see it was him and lowered her weapon. Eventually though, the red headed girl was able to recompose herself and aimed her gun back at him with a unsatisfied look on her face.

"Why, why did it have to be you?" Kallen said with a disappointed look on her face.

"Why, you ask…because there is no one who can play the role of Zero perfectly other than me of course." Lelouch responded back.

"And here I thought you were the kind of person who didn't give a care about what happens in the world around him. Just what kind of game are trying to play here…What are you up to…Fooling everyone like this?" Kallen suspiciously asked.

"Heh, oh, you want to know what I what out of all of this? It's quite simple really…I detest Britannia, and so, by using the Black Knights and the masked identity of Zero, I will create a force strong enough to utterly destroy the current Britannia, and from its fires of destruction, I will make a new Britannia, a new world, in my own image."

"And to do that you're going to use me, my people, my country, to get your way?" Kallen questioned.

"Not just this country, as many countries I need to rally under my control in order to crush Britannia. Like I said, the United States of Japan is only the first huge step. The Chinese Federation, the E.U., all the world's greatest countries will be united together under my command, and with all that power under my wing I'll completely wipe away the old Britannia for good!" Lelouch said as he angrily shouted out the word Britannia.

"So, you're just going to use all of us just for your own personal gains…That's just…And you don't even care what happens to Japan, do you?" Kallen said as she lashed out at Lelouch.

"Heh, well if you want to know the cold truth of the matter then no, I couldn't give a care in the world of what becomes of this country in the end, but everything must start somewhere."

As Lelouch continued to talk Kallen only stood there while sneering at him with the pistol in her hands.

"You know, after discovering who you really are and what your true intentions are my opinion of you has drastically changed, and it's not for the better either."

"Hmph…and even knowing all of that, just what are you going to do about it now?" Lelouch said with a smirk on his face as he looked directly at the gun in Kallen's hand.

"Kill me?" Lelouch mockingly said.

"Don't push your luck Lelouch. After all the crap you told me about you and your grand scheme it certainly does sound like a good idea right now." Kallen said as she focused the gun once again at Lelouch.

"Oh, is that really the right thing to do? I mean, after all, it was only thanks to Zero and his miracles that the land once called Japan can even say that it is independent now. It's not like your country has a choice anymore anyways. You have to accept me as Zero, because without him you'll stand no chance if Britannia was to return to Japan for another invasion. Ironic isn't it, the only way to defeat your greatest enemy was to put someone from that same country in command." Lelouch spoke out.

Kallen didn't answer to him and just kept glaring back at him.

"Hmph…man, compared to Rai you sure are sensitive to me being Zero."

When Kallen heard Lelouch say Rai's name she shook up and began to lose some of her nerve.

"R-Rai already knows you're Zero?" Kallen questioned.

"Yeah, some time after he regained his memories he somehow was able to figure out my identity on his own. But, it worked out in the end anyways."

"So Rai knew you were Zero and you made him keep it a secret from me and everyone else too?" Kallen asked.

"Well it's not like I wanted Rai to tell everyone that I'm Zero so of course I had to make him keep it a secret. He wanted to let you know saying you'll understand eventually but I didn't think it was a wise idea so I had him keep quiet about it. Even I want to keep some things secret."

"If your identity is so important to you why do you entrust Rai with your true identity?" Kallen sternly questioned.

"Because, I can relate to him better than anyone else. He and I have…a mutual understanding of each other. In fact, my relationship with him might even be deeper than the one you have with him." Lelouch said with a smirk on his face.

"W-What the hell do you mean by that?" Kallen said in embarrassment.

Lelouch then walked over and sat down back in his desk.

"I'm just kidding about that last part. But, I can understand and relate to him and his past. That's how we are about to get along with each other."

"If the two of you are so buddy-buddy with each other then why is he leaving the Black Knights and Japan for? You know why, don't you?" Kallen asked in frustration.

"Huh, how did you…I suppose it doesn't matter, you and everyone else would've found out by tomorrow evening anyways."

"Just answer my question…Where is Rai going?" Kallen asked in irritation.

"Tch…if you really must know then…the reason why Rai is leaving Japan is…because it will benefit the Black Knights more this way." Lelouch finally said.

"H-Huh, and what does that suppose to mean?" Kallen blurted out.

"It seems you don't understand…Fine, I'll explain it then. Right now the world is in disarray thanks to the major blow we caused to Britannia due to the Black Rebellion. Insurgences are bound to occur in other areas under Britannia's control as well as the other two superpowers turning their heads away from Britannia. Now, even though we struck a huge blow here against Britannia I don't believe for a minute that will stop them so easily. Even though there's a large amount of Sakuradite located here compared to the rest of Britannia's land mass we're just a dot on the map. And in case you've forgotten Britannia has the largest and strongest military in the world. It's also unlikely that every area is going to want to revolt anyways. Dealing with a few rising skirmishes will just be a chore for a country like Britannia. And that is where Rai comes in. In order to give the United States of Japan as much time as it needs to repair itself and keep Britannia off our bays I'm sending Rai out to cause trouble in any way he can, you know, like he did before he came to Japan."

"But why do that…wouldn't it just…"

"It's a big gamble for me, putting one of my most prized chess pieces on someone else's board but…should it pay off and go the way I want it to…the Black Knights and the United States of Japan will surely benefit from this action in the near future."

"But even so…to send Rai away…after he finally have people in his life that he can be with, people that he can count on, to ease his loneliness, and now you want to send him away to do your dirty jobs around the world in your place?" Kallen sorrowfully said as she lowered her weapon.

"It's not just me, he also understands the importance of this task that I'm giving him and he has never let me down before. In fact, he is the only one who can pull off something like this. Besides, there is another reason why he chose to go."

"…And what's that?"

"To fulfill a request that his late mother failed to finished."

"Huh, he's doing something for his mother. What exactly is he trying to fulfill?"

"I don't know the exact details, I only know that his mother was involved with it. He wouldn't say much to me about it. And that's the truth."

Kallen looked at Lelouch's eyes and it seemed that he was indeed telling the truth this time.

"Okay, then what is my role in this grand scheme of yours? Am I still going to be the captain of the Zero Squad?"

"Well, I would still like for you to fill that role." Lelouch said.

"Oh yeah, and what if I leave with Rai, what are you going to do about it then?"

"…Nothing, although problems will arise in the organization of the Black Knights if you were also to disappear. And besides, Rai doesn't want you to come with him anyways."

"Well I won't believe it unless he says it himself. I'm going to be there when Rai leaves and if he even says one word signaling that he wants me with him I'm going to follow him to wherever he goes!"

Kallen then turned around and was about to leave until she suddenly stopped.

"Oh, and just so you know, I don't follow your orders Lelouch, I only listen to Zero. You got that?"

"Hmph…Well that's fine with me." Lelouch said with a grin on his face.

After hearing Lelouch's response Kallen opened the door and let herself out. Once he was sure she was gone Lelouch closed his eyes and let out a huge sigh.

"_Well that went better than I thought it would. That woman can be a real handful sometimes. Rai, how do you do it? In any case, it's not like anything she does is going to change his mind anyways. The last thing he wants is to get her involved in the nature of Geass…"_

When Kallen walked through the front door she noticed several Black Knights soldiers inside the facility. Some of them were throwing out several things left behind by the Britannians, some were redesigning the place to give it a more Japanese type of setting to it, and several people were just laying around doing nothing but talking to each other. As Kallen arrived at the main entrance room she heard the Four Holy Swords jabbering nearby.

"Hey, put that soy sauce away, we're not going to put that in the sake, you hear me!...Hic…" Kallen heard Urabe's voice yell out.

"Oh come on, it's just a few drops. And I wasn't even going to put it in the sake kettle. I was only going to put lay a few drops in my cup anyways." Asahina responded.

"But even so, to put soy sauce in sake of all things. That's about as crazy as everything you do with soy sauce!" Urabe continued to scream.

"Urabe, calm down…I think you drank too much sake today. Why don't you just eat some cicadas or something to calm yourself down?" Chiba said trying to quiet Urabe down while making fun of him at the same time.

Kallen looked over in the direction of their voices and saw that the Four Holy Swords were seated on the sofas in the main lobby's resting area. Tohdoh was also with them, although it didn't seem he was drinking any of the sake compared to his four subordinates surrounding him.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that Chiba. I already brought plenty of cicadas with me today." Urabe said as he pulled some cicadas out of his pant pockets.

"A-Are you serious? Just what the hell are you doing with those things?" Chiba said as she freaked out.

"There's no better way to celebrate Japan's liberation than with sake and cicadas! Besides, I would rather eat my cicadas before I eat all this Britannian cuisine left behind in the settlement. Here, do you want one?" Urabe said as he held a cicada in front of Chiba.

"No!"

"Fine, suit yourself." Urabe shrugged and then bit the head of the cicada. He then continued to sip down on his sake cup as he ate more cicadas.

Senba, who was watching this whole display, could do nothing but laugh as he sipped on his own sake cup.

"Haha, wow, this reminds me of those times we spent hiding out in the woods from Britannia."

While she rarely talked with the members of the Four Holy Swords today Kallen wanted to hear their personal opinion on something and walked over to where they were all sitting.

"Umm…I hope I'm not bothering you but, do you mind if I ask you some questions on something?" Kallen said as she stood in front of Tohdoh.

Upon hearing Kallen's voice Tohdoh, who had his eyes shut trying to concentrate despite all the ruckus going on around him, suddenly opened them and stared up at her.

"Hmm…I do not mind. What do you have to ask exactly?" Tohdoh calmly said.

Kallen then sat down next to Tohdoh and began talking with the five of them.

"I was just wondering, what would you say if Rai was leaving the country even though Japan is free now?"

When Kallen said that it caused the Four Holy Swords, minus Tohdoh, to gasp out in disbelief.

"Huh, Rai Sumeragi is leaving?!" Urabe and Asahina bellowed out.

"No, no, I'm just saying, that's all." Kallen quickly said as she waved her hands in front of herself.

"Well I don't think there's anything strange about it." Tohdoh calmly said.

"Huh, you don't…why do you say that?" Kallen said with a confused look on her face.

"Because his mother would also frequently leave the country."

"What do you mean by that?" Kallen questioned.

"Well, how should I put this…Rai's mother, Shizuka, she was someone who was able to bring prosperity to all people. When she was in charge of running this country Japan was, as I would say, living at its best. The economy was always boosting and the people were always satisfied. Shizuka was a great leader, everybody was happy with her in charge. Instead of keeping herself shut away in Kyoto she always reaching out to the common people, royalty didn't matter to her or stop her from being around normal people. She wanted to help people, no matter who they were."

"And it didn't stop there…" Senba said stepping into the conversation.

"Not only was she concerned about people in her own country, she even visited leaders from other countries and helped their country and people stabilize themselves, and in doing so, built a healthy relationship those countries and our own. Yep, with her around, there was hardly anything that us soldiers needed to do. She took care of everything. She even made the First Pacific War look like a joke." Senba finished saying.

"Yes, she was at her best during the First Pacific War. It's too bad that it was also the last time she did anything for our country." Tohdoh sorrowfully said.

"What happened after that?" Kallen eagerly asked.

"After the First Pacific War Japan was over and dealt with Shizuka decided to back down from her position and said she wanted to leave the country."

"Why did she do that?" Kallen asked.

"I don't know…She said she had something important to do elsewhere but…this is just the ramblings of a soldier though…I always thought it was because the job was getting stressful on her and she wanted to relax for a while."

"Hmm…now that I think about it she also left with that blue haired friend of hers, didn't she?"

"Oh yeah, that's right. What was that young lady's name?" Senba called out to Tohdoh.

"…I, can't remember. It was an odd name as well. I wonder what ever happened to that woman."

"Anyways, I think we went way off topic anyways Colonel. What were we talking about before anyways?" Senba asked in confusement.

"Ah, never mind, I think I'll be going now anyways. It's starting to reek like alcohol around here anyways. And there is something I still need to think over…" Kallen said as she stood up and process to leave the bureau.

"Hey, I have an idea. How about we make Rai join the Four Holy Swords?" Urabe suggested.

"That's a good idea! That would make us the Five Holy Swords then wouldn't it!" Asahina said in agreement.

"Yeah, I bet that would make the kid happy!"Senba said with a grin on his face.

Location: United States of Japan-Aboard the Ikargua September 8, 2019 a.t.b.

"_In other news, it has almost been a week since Britannia launched an attack on the Okinawa Islands. While the city of Naha received little to no damage from Britannia's raid the town of Ie Shimo has suffered several severe casualties, making its entire perimeter completely inaccessible to normal civilians until plans of reconstruction are implemented. When Britannia will attack again or if they have decided to quit is still unknown. In any case the Black Knights are preparing for another battle no matter what the outcome is. And now the weather."_

The news reporter then disappeared and the background changed with the map of The United States of Japan with different shades of color covering it.

"_Hello there everyone, this is Milly Ashford, your weather forecaster speaking! It appears that for today as well as for the rest of the week there is going to be nothing but clear skies and the warming rays of the sun beaming down on the city of Tokyo. So that means for those who are planning to go to the Summer Festival this year there's going to be great weather this year! I'm going to be there as well so I hope I get to see all of you watching today out there as well!" _As Milly gave the weather forecast she waved her baton shaped stick towards the screen.

After the weather forecast was over and they returned to the news reporter Lelouch pressed a button on his remote and turned his television off. As he sat at the table inside his personal quarters aboard the Ikargua he continued to sip on his tea with his right hand while typing on his laptop with his left hand. After a while he stopped so he could relax and take a moment to think.

"_It has been almost a week now since Britannia attacked and declare war on us. But it's been five days now and they haven't made any new advancement on Japan. And I seriously doubt they would give up that easily. They're obviously planning to bring a bigger and stronger army with them this time, especially after they got a taste of what the Black Knights can do now. Yes, the next battle will be on a much gigantic scale. But I take things up a notch as well. After all, it's not like I revealed everything to the enemy in the last few battles. I still have a few surprises of my own to pull out when I need to. And it's all thanks to those knightmares frames." _As Lelouch was thinking he stared down at his laptop which had four separate screens on it which had one knightmare shown on each of the screens, a red Guren-like knightmare, a white Guren-like knightmare, a silver-bulky looking Akatsuki, and a blue-Gekka like knightmare. It was all recordings gathered on the four mysterious knightmares that jumped into the battle between the Britannians and the Black Knights.

"_I do not know who the owner of those machines are or what their objectives might be but if I had to guess…they might possibly belong to that private armed organization, the Order of the Blue Moon. But why they would appear during broad daylight is beyond my guess. Based on reports that claim that the Blue Moon Knights was involved in, they do most of their activities at night, when no one can see them or their members. So far, the Order's known targets are Britannia's and the Chinese Federation's forces, as well as terrorists and resistance groups as well. And their activities over the last few months just continue to increase. According to the world news, their last activities occurred two nights ago when a group of rebels and the Britannian military broke out into a scramble in Area 18. The report said that during the skirmish both sides got shot down by a mysterious third party, but the resistance cell suffered more heavy losses, probably because they're the ones who started it. There was also a team of Gun-Ru under the Chinese Federation's command close to an E.U. supply base that got annihilated because according to the rumors they were going to secretly invade or destroy that base. Hmmm...Pretty much anyone who tries to start a fight around the world gets shot down by this group. That would also explain why they only attacked the Britannian forces here instead of us, if that really was them piloting those knightmares. In any case, they may end up being another group I'll just have to deal with when I'm ready to put my plan into place when I attack Britannia. Of course, if I manage to capture one of their machines and get the pilot to talk I'll be able to learn of their true objectives. Well, I better get going…"_

Lelouch then closed his laptop, stood and picked his mask up, and left the room.

Location: The city of Hitachi, Ibaraki

As Kallen sat on top of some crates chewing on some natto inside one of the Black Knights current base of operations, she waited for the order to head out into battle when she overheard some of the other members of the Black Knights talking and listened in on their conversation.

"Hey, you won't believe what I saw last night!" A male member said to the two people he was talking to.

"What did you see?" The woman said back.

"I looked up at the sky last night and the moon was blue! I couldn't believe with my own eyes at first but it looked cool!"

"Are you sure about that? The moon doesn't glow blue. You must have been tired last night and was just seeing things." The other member said with a look of disbelief in his eyes.

"No, it's true, I mean it! It's just too bad I was on duty last night or I would've called my honey up last night to go out to a chapel so I could confess my love to her." The man said with a pleasant smile on his face.

"What, do you really believe in that old story? Isn't that just an urban legend? I think you just had your girlfriend on the mind last night while doing your job." The woman retorted back.

"Oh come on guys, I know what I saw!"

The three of them continued to argue as they walked away. Meanwhile Kallen was contemplating on what they just said.

"_A blue moon huh…it kind of reminds me of the Blue Moon Festival that Milly was going to host two years ago. But that was canceled because of the Black Rebellion. I was kind of looking forward to going to it too…with Rai…but…"_

Kallen then got up and headed over to the Ikaruga's main command room. Today Kaguya Sumeragi was returning from the Chinese Federation after her long visit with Empress Tianzi. She also supposedly had some news she wanted to share with Zero and the Black Knights. When Kallen arrived she saw that along with the ship's crew members several important members of the Black Knights were standing around in the control room, Zero, C.C., Ohgi, Rakshata, and Diethard were present. About ten minutes after she arrived the doors leading to the room opened up and everyone saw Kaguya flying into the room with a cheerful smile on her face.

"Zero-sama, I'm back!" Kaguya yelled out as she ran over to where Zero and C.C. were standing.

"I see you made it back safe and sound. So, what did Empress Tianzi have to say about concerning the relationship between the Chinese Federation and the United States of Japan?" Zero asked.

"Oh yeah, about that…I have some good news, bad news, and then some great news." Kaguya said as she emphasized the great news part.

"Then let's hear it then." Zero said.

"Okay, the good news is that the empress is getting married and she invited me to attend the ceremony and the reception."

"And the bad news?" C.C. asked.

"Um, yeah, the bad news is that she's getting married to a Britannian Prince of the Imperial Family." Kaguya said as her eyes started to sadden.

When everyone else heard this everyone started to gasp out at this revelation.

"What!?"

"Kaguya, which member of the Imperial Family is it?" Zero desperately said.

"Uh, the first prince of Britannia. I think she said his name was Odysseus eu Britannia."

"Zero, you know what this means right?" Diethard said with a stern look on his face.

"Yes, I know. Britannia is moving a little bit faster than we are. It's just as Xingke said, those meetings the High Eunuchs had with the Imperial Family…they were most likely about a future alliance between the countries which will be put into place with this marriage proposal. And if this goes through it will give the Chinese the perfect excuse to charge into the war between Britannia and the E.U."

Zero then slammed his fist down on the ship's hull in front of him.

"_Damn it, and I wanted to form an alliance with the Chinese Federation before them! And with Britannia already deciding to go to war against us…This isn't good."_ Lelouch whispered to himself.

"And if that happens it will give Britannia a geographical advantage over us. We might as well wave the white flag over our heads if this marriage goes through." C.C. sarcastically said, not making the situation sound any better.

"Zero, what are we going to do about this?" Ohgi asked.

After a few minutes of silence Zero finally decided to speak up.

"There is only but one course of action for us to take. We have to stop the wedding and get the empress to fully cooperate with us, even if that means overthrowing the High Eunuchs. Now, if only there was a way to get myself into that event…" Zero started to murmur.

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that. Since I'm already attending the reception and ceremony you're going to be my escort Zero…You are coming with me right?" Kaguya said as she looked over at Zero.

"Hmm, yes, that will work fine actually. Now, I'll also need to find a bodyguard to watch Kaguya while we're there."

"Oh, you don't have to worry about that part! I've already found a wonderful blue knight to fill in that role!" Kaguya happily shouted out.

"Really, and who might that be?" Zero asked.

"This is the great news I've been wanting to share with you. I was able to get oni-chan to agree to be my bodyguard during the ceremony and reception!" Kaguya gleefully proclaimed.

When everyone in the room heard that they all seemed to be in a state of shock.

"Wow, that is great news." C.C. said in a way that it couldn't be determined if she really was happy or being sarcastic as usual.

"Rai, is going to be there too?" Zero said in disbelief.

"Yeah, with him there I'm sure everything is going to be okay!" Kaguya said with confidence.

"And when exactly did this happen?" Zero asked.

"Huh, umm…a little over a week ago. I met him while I was still in the Chinese Federation. All I did was ask him if he wanted to come there with us and he agreed. Although, before I could get into the big details something suddenly came up and he said he had to take care of it. After that I haven't seen him since. I thought he would already be here in Japan when I came back but that didn't seem to be the case. But I'm positive he will stop by here any day now." Kaguya said while trying to make her voice sound confident.

"Hmm…you said you met him over a week ago and left soon afterwards, correct?" Zero questioned.

"Huh, yes…" Kaguya responded.

"That was almost around the time that those knightmares appeared as well…Interesting…" Zero mused to himself.

"In any case, we still have about a month until the wedding. I'll be sure to have a plan thought out by then on how to deal with this sudden predicament, as well as what to do about Britannia."

After letting out a sigh, Zero excuse himself from the command room in order to straighten some things about the new situation that arose. Meanwhile, everyone else went back to attending their own personal business. Kaguya was planning on leaving the room as well and was going to chase after Zero when Kallen suddenly approached her.

"Umm…hey, can I ask you something?" Kallen nervously said.

"Huh, yes, what is it?"

"When you met Rai at the Chinese Federation…did he have a new letter to give to me? I was wondering if he ever responded to the last letter I sent him."

"Uh, nope, not this time." Kaguya responded.

"Oh, is that so…" Kallen dejectedly said with a sad look on her face.

"But, he did said that when he arrives in the United States of Japan he had a special present he wanted to give you."

"A present…what kind of present exactly?" Kallen asked.

"It's a secret! Hehe…Well, I have to get going now. I'll speak to you again some other time."

After saying that Kaguya left the room.

"Hmm…I wonder what kind of present it is he's going to give you." C.C. said from behind Kallen.

"…Well, whatever it is, if he thinks he can flatter me with some gift he has another thing coming to him! I'm not going to be impressed."

As Kallen said that she crossed her arms and headed over to rest on the cushion area.

"Oh, I beg to differ."

After C.C. said that she left the command room and started walking down the isolated hallways. As she did so she began talking out to herself.

"Hello, it me…You've been pretty busy over the last few days that I've never had a chance to talk with you…Oh, I just thought I should thank you for sending your boy and his allies over to assist us against Britannia…After all, you and your group also desire that Britannia be kept out of Japan and away from the thought elevator on Kamine Island…I thought I should let you know that Britannia is also planning to attack today so…Things might be a little more difficult for us this time…and your group too, if they decide to make another appearance today…Yes, I know, that man who stole X.X.'s code, he's watching and observing everything…Just like how a cat jumps on a mouse, he too is waiting for the perfect opportunity to pounce and dig his claws into his intended target…You know who I'm talking about…Well, Britannia is going to be here in a few hours and I need to get something to eat before then, most preferably, some pizza…"

Five hours later…Location: Out in the Pacific Ocean-East of the city of Hitachi

The continued battle between Britannia and the Black Knights was currently starting back up again above the skies of Hitachi. On the Britannian side approaching from the ocean they had one Logres class floating battleship accompanied with four caerleon class floating battleships along with several Britannian naval ships surfing on the ocean carrying several knightmares with them. Surrounding the battleships were several airborne knightmare frame, mostly consisting of Sutherlands as well as the new Vincent Wards.

Meanwhile, on the Black Knights side were the Ikargua and several airborne Akatsuki units.

Once the gap between the two sides kept getting smaller and closer to each other both sides started to charge at each other. Knightmares started to scatter and gunshots were flung all across the skies.

Inside the Ikaruga's command room Zero issued orders out left and right while maintaining a perfect defense while at the same time commencing a suitable offense.

"Squads 3 and 5 will take the east wing while squads 4 and 9 will charge down the west wing. The Ikaruga will remain in the back right at the edge of the city while being protected by squads 7 and 10 along with the Zero Squad. The main force will charge straight down with squads 1 and 2."

After the orders were giving out the Black Knights took action with the Akatsuki units firing their handguns, bazookas, or the turrets mounted on their shoulders at the enemy units. The Sutherlands and Vincent Wards responded back by firing their assault rifles. Although both sides seemed to be evenly matched out first, the Black Knights were slowly but surely pushing the Britannian forces back, with more Britannian knightmares being destroyed than Black Knights knightmares due to being overpowered, outnumbered, or troops being isolated from the rest of the forces. Meanwhile, back in the Ikaruga's command room Zero seemed to be very content with the way things were going.

"_Heh…this is even easier than last time. I thought Britannia would put up a better fight than this but, even with new knightmares, the commander they have in charge this time sure isn't as good at commanding his troops like Cornelia or Maribelle. As soon as my troops reach their flying aircraft and annihilate them this pitiful battle will be over. And it seems those mysterious knightmares won't be making an appearance today either…oh well. Nothing can stop me now. I suppose it's time to call checkma…"_

Before Zero could finish his sentence he saw a hadron cannon shoot across the middle of the battlefield, destroying several Akatsuki units from squads 1 and 2.

"What was that!?" Ohgi shouted out.

"It seems to have been a hadron cannon launched by a knightmare!" One of the Ikaruga's crew member shouted.

"There's only one person I know who can get in my way at a time like this…" Zero murmured.

"Uh oh, there's Britannian reinforcements approaching from the northern pacific ocean!" Another crew member said as she pulled up a visual on the monitor showing the Avalon floating airship accompanied with two caerleon class airships along with several Vincent Wards, a few Vincent Commanders Models, two other new knightmares, and in front of all of them was a familiar white knightmare with golden trims, the Lancelot, which had a large blue cannon mounted on its varis rifle.

"And it seems like his knightmare has a new toy as well. Squads 5 and 9, change your coarse and intercept Britannia's new reinforcement! Squad 1, 2, 3, and 4 will stay on track and finish off your original targets. All forces surrounding the Ikaruga will focus their attention on the reinforcements!"

As Zero shouted out his orders the Black Knights troops began focusing their attention on the new forces coming in as Squads 1, 2, 3, and 4 continue on with their objectives.

(Britannia's POV Meanwhile: Aboard the Logres command room)

"General Upson, Britannian reinforcements are approaching from the northern perimeter!" One of the Logres crew member shouted out.

"What…Damn, that was fast! Ergh…even with the newest model we couldn't do jack against those damn Black Knight models! And with those Knights of the Round jumping into the fray now they'll take all the credit even if we do somehow manage to win here!" Upson angrily yelled out.

"Sir, maybe we should retreat for now and let the Avalon team take off from here." One of the crew member suggested.

"No, we're not doing that! We're not running again like we were forced to last time! I've already disgraced myself enough after losing a mass majority of forces last time in Ie Shimo from only two damn knightmares. This time I'm not leaving until I accomplish something, even if I have to ram the Logres itself through the enemy knightmares! Now quit whining and order the remaining troops out!" Upson ordered.

"Yes, my lord…H-Huh…"

When the crew member looked back at his screen something seemed to have confused him.

"What, what is it?" Upson demanded.

"One of our Vincent Wards…is attacking our own allies!" The crew member shouted out.

"What…!"

A screen then lit up for everyone to see and they saw that one of their Vincent Wards, which for the entire battle was fighting alongside them, is now taking out its squad's Sutherlands and Vincent Wards with its assault rifle. After that the Vincent Ward put its rifle away and pulled out its Maser Vibration sword shaped lance and charged right to its squad leader's Vincent Commander Model and sliced the frame right in half.

"What the hell…? Did someone betray us or…did the enemy somehow manage to send a spy and was able to board one of our own knightmares…but how…? N-Never mind…If it's going to attack our own soldiers then we don't need it or its pilot. Shoot it dow…"

Before Upson could finish his command however the cockpit of the enemy Vincent Ward suddenly ejected and the frame self-destructed. This caused the cockpit that just ejected to fall downward towards the ocean like a meteor and splash right into the ocean.

"Just what the hell was that all about?" Upson said with a shocked expression on his face on what he just witnessed.

"General, Black Knights troops are approaching from the sidelines!" One of the crew members shouted out.

"What…!"

Upson then looked on the monitor and saw Squads 3 and 4 of the Black Knights arrived and were destroying their caerleon battleships as well as the knightmares guarding those battleships.

"Damn, it's one thing after another…what else is going to go wrong?" Upson thought to himself.

It was then, right after he said that when the captain of the naval forces contacted him.

"General Upson, this is the captain of the naval forces speaking. I'm here to tell you that I'm withdrawing our ships and retreating to a different locations. It's hard to admit but this operation was a total blunder." The captain regretfully said.

"W-Wait, don't leave just yet. We can still turn this around somehow!" Upson pleaded.

"I'm sorry…but that's impossible for us. Even you must accept defeat sometimes. And I'm not going to waste men and supplies on a hopeless battle. Now, if you'll…hmmm…"

(Aboard the Captain's ship)

"Captain, something just appeared on the radar!" One of the ship's crew shouted out.

"Yes, what is it?" The captain asked.

"It's…a knightmare!" The member cried out in fear.

"A knightmare…?"

A screen then pulled up in front of them revealing a silver colored that looked very similar to the Black Knight's Akatsuki unit, except it was much more bulky looking and had a faceless head.

(?'s POV)

"This is Type-06M Tsukuyomi here. I have arrived at the intended location and will begin to commence the operation."

After the silver knightmare's pilot declare that the two cannons on the knightmare's shoulders began to glow. The knightmare's aboard the Britannian ships tried to shoot it down with their assault rifles but their attacks were ineffective and simply reflected off the knightmare. Eventually the cannons seemed to have been completely lit up.

"Baryon Cannon charging complete…I will now eliminate the targets!" As the pilot said that two orange beams flashed out the cannons and struck right through two Britannian naval ships, causing them to explode. The silver knightmare then moved the beams along and destroyed all twelve ships out there. Once they were all annihilated the beams dissipated.

"The targets have been completely removed. First objective has been cleared. We can now move on to plan 2-B."

"Roger that, I will now commerce to plan 2-B." A second pilot said as a blue knightmare shot out of the ocean where the cockpit of the Vincent Ward disappeared into earlier.

"Type-06R Susanoo…" The Tsukuyomi's pilot murmured.

While flying back up to where the air forces were situated the blue knightmare raised its left hand and its fingertips began to flashed red. A second later a red beam of radiation shot out from its radiation surger and flew up to the heavens, hitting two Vincent Wards and three Sutherlands in the process. After being engulfed with radiation the machines exploded seconds later. Once the Susanoo reached the other knightmares it started taking them out with its red flamed revolving blade sword.

(Britannia's POV)

"It's that knightmare again…!" Upson screamed out.

"Sir, what should we do? Its dwindling our remaining forces and the Black Knights are almost here too…" A crew member worryingly said.

"Ergh…Damn useless hunk of metal…Ram into it with the Logres!" Upson demanded.

"But General, isn't it too risky to do that?"

"I said ram into it! With the Logres shape and size, we should be able to crush it with the carrier's weight. If I'm going to do anything I'm going to destroy that knightmare! Now do it!" Upson yelled.

(?'s POV)

After taking out another Sutherland with it revolving blade sword the pilot of the Susanoo turned their head and noticed the Logres battleship getting closer to the Susanoo.

"Is that thing planning on ramming into me? Such a foolish move…"

The Susanoo then raised its left hand and was preparing to fire a beam from its hand when the Tsukuyomi appeared in front of it.

"I'll take care of this battleship carrier in one shot." The pilot said as two orange beams shot from its cannon.

The beam's attack hit and went right through the Logres, causing a huge explosion seconds later. Several pieces of the Logres went flying all over the place and nothing remained after the attack, with everything falling into the ocean.

"My objective here is finished. I'll be returning to base. You'll be moving on to Plan 3-C with the others." The Tsukuyomi's pilot said.

"Alright, then I'll begin to move to the next phase then." Susanoo's pilot responded.

After the smoke cloud disappeared from where the Logres once flew Squads 1 and 2 of the Black Knights finally appeared.

(Black Knights POV)

"Hey look, it's those knightmares from last time!" Asahina said.

"Yeah, I see, and I bet they are the ones who destroyed all the military's strength here too." Urabe responded.

They then stopped with their squads and waited to see what the mysterious knightmares would do next. After a few seconds of waiting the silver knightmare started moving south towards the ocean while the blue knightmare seemed to took off to where the Ikaruga and Avalon were fighting at."

"The silver knightmare has taken off, should we follow it?" Asahina suggested.

"No, we'll let that one go. Zero has instructed us to keep our eyes on the blue knightmare, the one that looks like Sumeragi's Gekka. Come on, I'll contact squad 3's and 4's leader and we'll chase after it." Urabe ordered.

"Roger that."

(Ikaruga and Avalon Battle site)

The battle between the Black Knights and Britannian's reinforcement was at a bitter stalemate, which each side equally matched. When an Akatsuki unit was destroyed, a Vincent Ward was destroyed soon after, and vice-versa. Though with the Knights of the Round out on the battlefield, it soon tipped in Britannia's favor. With the Lancelot firing its varis rifle, the Mordred firing its stark hadron cannon, and the Tristan gliding around the air in jet mode and sweeping knightmares away with its machine guns with ease thanks to its superior air capabilities, Britannia slowly gained the upper hand. One of the Akatsuki units then tried to engage the Tristan in direct combat. However, when it fired its handgun at the Tristan it easily moved out of the way and moved closer to the Akatsuki. The Tristan then changed into knightmare mode and pulled out two MVS poles and combined them into what looked like a double edged pickaxe. The Akatsuki pulled its baton sized revolving blade sword out and tried to engage in close combat but the Tristan quickly moved in and chopped the Akatsuki left arm off along with its sword. The Tristan attacked with the other end of the pickaxe and cut right through the Akatsuki's body, causing it to explode seconds later.

"No one can defeat a knight of the round, no one!" Gino boasted.

"Don't get too carried away." Suzaku cautioned from his Lancelot as it fired its slash harken from its wrist and destroyed an Akatsuki.

"Lighten up Suzaku, it's not like they have any noteworthy fighters that can compare with knights like us." Gino insisted.

It was then that Suzaku noticed something coming in his direction. He turned his Lancelot to his left and saw the Guren Mk-II storming his way.

"Suzaku!" Kallen shouted as his knightmare flew closer to him.

"So Kallen is my opponent…" Suzaku muttered as he prepared his MVS Sword and Varis Rifle in his knightmare's hands.

As the gap between them closed they were ready to fight each other. But before the Guren Mk-II got close enough to the Lancelot a white Guren like knightmare rammed into the Lancelot and then engaged into combat with it.

"Huh, a white Guren…?" Kallen wondered to herself.

"A white Guren…no matter." Suzaku said as he raised his varis rifle and fired out the white knightmare. However, his attack missed and the machine charged at him again.

"This is Type-01C Byakuen…I have located the Z-01 Lancelot and will continue with the mission." The pilot of the white knightmare said as a jagged blade appeared out of the toolbox on its right arm.

The Byakuen's blade then clashed with the Lancelot's sword until the Byakuen fired a slash harken and caused the Lancelot to stumble backwards. The Byakuen then quickly put its jagged blade away and pulled out a drill this time.

"Now you'll get a taste of my fang!" The mysterious pilot yelled out as the Byakuen charged straight at the Lancelot with its drill.

The Lancelot quickly organized itself as placed its right hand in front of itself to form a blaze luminous shield. The drill then collided with the shields but still managed to pierce through it leaving a huge hole on the Lancelot right arm where the shield used to be.

"No way, the drill was that strong?" Suzaku wondered.

After that display the Byakuen hoisted its left knee up and kicked the Lancelot further back.

Meanwhile, as the two white knightmares fought each other Kallen wondered what she should do now.

"Zero told me that I should deal with Suzaku but…it looks like that mysterious knightmare is already taking care of him. I wonder what I should do now…take out some other knightmares?" Kallen wondered to herself.

As Kallen was ready to take her next course of action so noticed the Tristan heading in her direction.

"Since Suzaku is unable to deal with you, I'll fight you in his place!" Gino said as his Tristan flew towards the Guren with his double edge pickaxe ready to swing.

Kallen was also ready to fight her new adversary when this time a blue knightmare rammed into and clashed its sword with the Tristan's pickaxe, dragging it away from the Guren Mk-II's current location.

"That's the same blue knightmare from last week…" Kallen murmured.

"Kallen, do you read me? Did you just see that knightmare?" Zero said over the communications.

"Y-Yes, I do." Kallen responded.

"Then keep your eyes on that knightmare. We'll be moving forwards with our other plan from here on." Zero said.

"Roger that." Kallen answered.

Meanwhile, after being dragged away the Tristan finally managed to ward off the blue knightmare.

"More uninvited guests huh…So you want to have a match against me and my Tristan eh, well I'm game!" Gino replied as he prepared the pickaxe in his knightmares hand.

"This is Type-06 Susanoo, I have found a knight of round and will now commence my next assignment."

The Tristan and Susanoo then charged and swung their respective weapon at each other, causing another deadlock which eventually caused both frames to move back from the collision. After getting back far enough the Susanoo mounted the turrets on its shoulder and began firing rapidly at his target. However, the Tristan was able to shield itself by twirling its pickaxe in front of itself, completely making the turret shots useless.

"That old trick huh…In that case…" After murmuring to themselves, the Susanoo's pilot fired several missile launchers from the knightmare's air wing pack and scattering all over the place as the missiles made their way over to the Tristan. In order to avoid the missiles launched, the Tristan changed back into jet mode and was able to slid past the missiles as it headed towards the Susanoo. Once he got close enough Gino made the Tristan change back into knightmare mode and swung his double edge pickaxe which clashed with the Susanoo's sword again, except this time neither side was backing down.

"Wow, you're pretty good. I just might have to recategorize you." Gino said complementing the Susanoo's pilot.

Elsewhere, the remaining knight of the round, Anya Alstreim, took out an entire squad of Akatsuki units with her personal knightmare, the Mordred, by converging four separate hadron cannons together to form a much more powerful weapon, called a stark hadron cannon. She was then deciding who to target next while the cannon recharged. While scanning the area she first had her sights on the Byakuen, who was currently engaged with the Lancelot, but then shifted towards the Susanoo, who was fighting against the Tristan. After making a quick decision Anya aimed the cannon at the Susanoo and was ready to fire it.

"Deleted…" Anya whispered as she was about to press the button to let the hadron loose.

By the time she pressed the button however something hit the Mordred's cannon, causing it's trajectory to be off balance and the black beam ended up being shot into the sky.

"Something…hit me…?"

Using the Mordred's heightened factspheres Anya scanned the area to find what hit her frame and discovered that about a mile out in the ocean, away from the main battlefield, there was a red knightmare with a sniper rifle aimed directly at her machine.

"This is the Type-01 Guren Reverse here. I find my target and now I'm ready to fire!" The pilot of the red knightmare said as several yellow shells were fired from the sniper, all aimed at the Mordred.

Since the Mordred wouldn't be able to avoid the incoming attacks Anya had to defend herself by casting a blaze luminous shield around her knightmare. The shells then smacked right into the shield system the Mordred set up, although it wasn't hit directly the shockwaves still caused her knightmare to be flung backwards. The red knightmare continued its unrelentless onslaught of attacks on the Mordred, which, while the shields could stand up to the attacks, made the Mordred completely immobilized and unable to react.

"This is a nuisance…"

After realizing that there was no way her knightmare would be able to counterattack against a target so far away she decide to retreat back to the Avalon. After seeing the Mordred making haste to retreat the red knightmare stopped shooting at it.

"Okay, now with the main problem out of the way we just need to clean up here and then we'll be done. Hey, Byakuen's pilot, you mind giving me some protection over here while I'm firing?" The red knightmare pilot asked over the communication line.

"Affirmative." The Byakuen's pilot responded.

After knocking the Lancelot back with its combined jagged blade the Byakuen flew to where the red Guren was, replaced its blades for a small-tube like cannon and provided supporting fire while guarding the red frame. Both frame then started to shoot down the remaining Vincents and Vincent Wards in the area from a safe distance.

Suzaku tried to give chase and follow the Byakuen but the Guren Reverse shot repeated shells at the Lancelot, causing him to stop and form a shield to protect itself. Eventually the shield cracked for good and the Lancelot took serious damage from the Guren's shells.

"Damn, my shields have been used up. I'll need to retreat for now."

Suzaku was then forced to leave the battlefield in his damaged Lancelot. Soon after he left Cornelia, who have been operating the Britannian reinforcements from the Avalon's command room, ordered the remaining forces to retreat as well.

After hearing the announcement over his knightmares transmission Gino, who was still fighting the Susanoo, backed away.

"As much as I don't like the idea of retreating we'll just call this a draw for now."

After making that remark the Tristan switched into its jet mode and scurried away with the other Vincents.

(Aboard the Ikaruga)

"Britannian forces are retreating from the area!" One of the Ikaruga's ship crew said in relief.

A monitor then appeared showing the Vincents and Vincent Wards heading back to the Avalon.

"I see…then that just leaves us to deal with those knightmares that appeared again." Zero said as the monitor shifted to two separate screens, the left showing the red and white Gurens, the right showed the blue knightmare.

"Okay everyone get ready to move out, keep your distance and be ready to tail them!" Zero ordered.

The next minute on the left screen the white knightmare was shooting out missile launchers that were releasing smoke clouds while the blue knightmare was releasing chaffsmoke around itself. When the air cleared up all three knightmares were gone.

"And now it begins…" Zero said clasping his hands together as they rested on the handlebars.

(?'s POV)

After escaping from the area the Byakuen and Guren Reverse were gliding above the ocean water while moving south across the ocean.

"Whew…another mission well accomplished. Now we get to head home and rest for a while. I hope Susanoo's pilot will be able to make it back safely. I know I don't need to really worry about him but…" The red knightmare pilot started to say.

"He'll be fine." The white knightmare pilot said in a abruptly and uncaring way.

As the two continued along they eventually noticed something on their IFF screens.

"Seems like someone has been following us." The Byakuen's pilot said.

Both machines then turned around and discovered that two squads consisting of Akatsuki units have been following them from a safe distance.

"Oh, it seems the Black Knights are curious about us. I wonder, are they trying to follow us all the way back to our base?" The red knightmare pilot thought out loud.

The two knightmare pilots then continued moving forward and discovered the Akatsuki units still following them while keeping a fare distance away from them.

"I see…so my theory was correct. They're trying to find out where our base is. Sigh…what should we do now…?" The red pilot then lets out a high sigh.

It was then at that moment when the two knightmare pilot received a message from their commander.

"Huh…yes, I hear you…Yeah, we got some of the Black Knights soldier tailing us…what should we do…? What, really…you want to…Yes, I understand…"

After the communications line disconnects the red pilot slams their fist against the side of the cockpit

"This isn't what I came here for…I didn't want to pick a fight with the Black Knights but…Damn, this whole situation just…sucks…" The red pilot bellowed as the Guren Reverse unfolded its sniper rifle and took aim at the Akatsuki units.

"I don't want to this but…I'm targeting and ready to fire!" The pilot said as the trigger is released.

Meanwhile, elsewhere, the Susanoo is also heading back to base but on a different route. The entire scenery is quiet and peaceful as it soars across the skies.

Suddenly however, the silence is broken when several missiles from all direction comes flying towards the blue knightmare.

"An ambush…?" The blue knightmare pilot thought as the frame got ready to defend against the incoming attack.

As the missiles came closer however the pilot realized what was flying in the air.

"A gefjun net…Are they planning to trap me?" The pilot said as the missiles stopped and encircled the Susanoo.

After the net was complete it activated, causing a huge screech to surround the area. The Susanoo then stopped and didn't appear to be moving. Several knightmares then started to approach the net while making sure not to step into the net. The Four Holy Swords Gekka, Tohdoh's Zangetsu, Kallen's Guren Mk-II, and six members of the Zero Squadron piloting Guren Mk-I units were present.

"Pilot of the blue knightmare, can you hear me? This is Kyoshiro Tohdoh, field commander of the Black Knights. I wish to have a word with you. Would you come out of your cockpit so we can speak face to face. I do not want to be enemies with you after you've assisted us three times now. We just want to know who you and your people really are and your objectives…that's all."

After waiting for several minutes it didn't seem the pilot wasn't going to listen to their demands. Instead the blue knightmare's monotopic eye bursted red for a moment and the next it started to move wildly even inside the gefjun field.

"What, it can move even inside there?" Chiba wondered out loud.

"So, it does have countermeasures against our own technology." Tohdoh muttered.

The blue knightmare's turrets then mounted on its shoulder and blew away the net that had the field activated. Now that it was freed everyone didn't expect what it was going to do next.

"It doesn't seem I'll be able to slip out of this one. I have no choice but to fight now!" The blue pilot proclaimed as the Susanoo readied its sword which now flared a red color and charged towards the Black Knights forces.

Location: Kamine Island

On the sandy beaches of Kamine Island a Chinese transport ship docks near the shores. A young man named Li Xingke and his assistant Zhou Xianglin exits the boat and walk across the beach.

"This is the place right?" Xingke asks.

"It is but…do you really believe they were telling the truth? After all, for all we know this could just be a trap." Xianglin warns.

"Yes, I know, but I guess you can say that my curiosity towards this group outweighs the dangers involved." Xingke responds with confidence in his voice.

Xianglin however still seems to have doubts towards this group. A few minutes of waiting on the beach's shores they heard footsteps coming from the forest ahead.

"I see now, so you did appear, Li Xingke." A voice called out from the forest.

"Yes, I came just as you requested me to. I remembered you saying something about having a knightmare you wanted to give to me." Xingke calmly said.

"And also, your true identities…" Xianglin started to say.

"Yes, I know. But remember this, I'm only here to represent the organization, just as I did last time at the warehouse at the port station. But since we're here, we can talk freely face to face here without raising anyone's suspicions."

Xingke then saw two figures approaching from the forest and noticed that the person in front looked very recognizable.

"You…You're…" Xingke started to say.

Moving on to the next Stage…


	30. Chapter 30

Code Geass: Colorless Memories

Stage 30: Faces Unveiled

Location: Area 11: May 10, 2014 a.t.b.

It was the same morning routine for her. Get out of bed, brush her teeth, take a shower, put her school uniform on, and get her bag ready to go. After getting through her daily morning business of hers, Kallen headed down the staircase to eat some breakfast. Once she arrived at the dining room, she saw that her brother Naoto and his friend Ohgi were already sitting at the table. Naoto was cleaning his trademark sniper rifle with a small rag in his hand while Ohgi was checking the amount of ammunition they had for all the other artillery they had scattered across the table.

"Good morning!" Kallen cheerfully said as she held her bag behind her.

"Good morning." Both of them replied.

"Oh yeah, I already made some breakfast for you Kallen. It's over there by the counter." Naoto added in as he pointed his thumb behind him towards the counter as he continued to work on his sniper rifle.

He and Ohgi then moved some of their stuff out of the way so Kallen had room to eat at the dining table. Once she sat down with them Kallen placed her bag beside her chair and began a conversation as she ate.

"Are you guys going out to fight those thick-headed Britannians again today?" Kallen asked as she took a bite of her toast.

"Yeah, we are." Ohgi responded to Kallen's question.

"Well someone has to go out there and show those Britannians a thing or two." As Naoto said that he had his right eye looking through the scope of his sniper rifle.

"I wish I could go out there and fight with you guys." Kallen said.

"Hey now, don't say that. Don't forget you still got school to attend to. You can just leave everything to me."

"Yeah, I know…geezs. Well, I guess I'll head out for school now."

After Kallen finished eating her breakfast she picked her bag up and headed for the front door. Before she left the dining room though Kallen turned around and looked at her brother.

"Hey big bro, are you going to pick me up after school today?"

"Huh…Oh, yeah, I'll definitely be there. Don't you worry." Naoto reassuringly said as he held his hand up and smiled at her.

Seeing her brother smile like that caused Kallen to smile herself.

"Okay, I'll see you later then."

After giving a final wave goodbye Kallen headed out the door for school.

"Well, we better get going too." Naoto said as he strapped his sniper rifle behind his back and picked up some of the weapons on the table.

"Right." Ohgi said in agreement.

* * *

Today there was going to be another skirmish in Shinjuku Ghetto. A few days ago Naoto's group managed to steal some of Britannia's newest knightmare model, the RPI-13 Sutherland, and hid them out at their base in Shinjuku Ghetto. In response to this Viceroy Clovis sent out Britannian forces into the Ghetto to retrieve or destroy the stolen machines. But Naoto's group was already prepared for such an attempt and the gang was scattered throughout the ghettos, ready to engage with Britannia's forces. Once the Britannian forces arrived several foot soldiers along with Glasgows stormed into the Ghettos and furiously started their search.

"Naoto, there's a group of ten soldiers and one Glasgow heading in our direction. Should we attack them?" Minami asks as he talked to Naoto over a radio transceiver.

"Yeah, go and blow those soldiers away. That should attract the Glasgow pilot's attention for my plan to work." Naoto coolly responses.

"Right."

After receiving the okay from their leader Minami, Inoue and Sugiyama moved out of the building they were hiding in and with their heavily loaded grenade launchers, they fired their weapons. This caused huge explosions everywhere as well as making the bodies of several Britannian soldiers fly all over the area.

"Alright, that should do it." Inoue proudly proclaimed.

"Okay Nagata, it's your turn now." Sugiyama said over the radio.

"Right, I'm going right now."

Nagata then got into the knightmare carrier truck that they stolen on a previous mission, got the engine roaring, and sped off from where the other three members were. This caught the remaining Glasgow pilot's attention as he saw the truck leave and decided to pursue after it as he called his other pilot comrades to give chase as well. It was then only a matter of minutes until Nagata was being chased by five Glasgow units now, all firing their assault rifles at him.

"Nagata, after you pass the next street make a left turn. Oh, and by the way, stop swerving so much!" Naoto said through the radio.

"Yeah, I already that. How about you try driving a vehicle while being chased by knightmares?" Nagata shouted as he made a quick turn to his left and sped up so more getting further away from the Glasgow units.

Once he reached his destined location Nagata immediately jumped out of the still moving vehicle and ran towards an entrance leading to an underground tunnel. When he was inside he crouched down on the steps leading to the exit. The vehicle meanwhile kept moving until it ran into a telephone pole, stopping its wild drive.

A few seconds later the Glasgow units came screeching down the road until they arrived at the vehicle, suspecting the Sutherlands to be in there. Once a Glasgow opened the back door however all they found were ordinary Glasgow units like the ones they were piloting.

"Heh, I got you now." Nagata silently whispered as he pressed a switch on his remote causing the bombs implanted on the unused Glasgow units in the truck to go off and detonate.

The two Britannian Glasgow units closest to the truck were then caught in the blast causing them to be destroyed along with the truck. Once things were clear again the remaining three units were still confused on what just happened as the truck was in flames and everything surrounding it were small little pieces now. Just when they were about to make their next move one of the Glasgow units were suddenly shot down by what seemed to be assault rifle bullets. The two Glasgows then looked to where the attack was coming from to see three Sutherlands piloted by Ohgi, Tamaki and Yoshida. Tamaki's unit then charged forwards with stun tonfas activated and destroyed another Glasgow with his weapons.

"Yeah, take that you damn Brits!" Tamaki proudly boasted.

The remaining Glasgow noticed the situation he was in and attempted to escape but as he was leaving his landspinners were shot off by Ohgi's and Yoshida's assault rifle. The pilot then got out of his cockpit since it wouldn't eject and got ready to flee little realizing that his was being locked-on to.

Not too far from the current location Naoto was sitting at the edge of a tall building looking down at the events before him. While holding on to his sniper rifle in his hands he looked through the scope of his weapon to see the Glasgow that just fell over. As the pilot got out of the cockpit the scope was locked right at the person's head.

"Okay, I have my target and I'm ready to fire." Naoto proclaimed as he pulled the trigger of his sniper rifle.

As the weapon went off the bullet went flying straight down the air and right through the Glasgow pilot's forehead, causing him to fall down seconds later.

"Nice shot Naoto-kun! That was a bulls-eye there!" Tamaki proudly said.

"Yeah, with this, there should only be regular military militia left now." Naoto said with a sigh of relief but just when we was ready to relax Ohgi's and Yoshida's Sutherland were shot down by assault rifle fire.

"W-What's this?" Naoto said surprised as he pulled out his binoculars to see enemy reinforcements approaching in knightmares. They were Sutherlands too except their shoulders have been painted red meaning…they were from the Pure Bloods, one of Britannia's special groups headed by Margrave Jeremiah.

"Ergh…the Purists...what are they doing here?" Naoto angrily whispers.

"Naoto-kun, what should we do now?" Sugiyama asked over the radio.

"…Retreat, I wasn't planned for this happening. This has become a battle of attrition." Naoto order as his put his sniper behind his back and ran back into the building.

"Argh, I'm not leaving without a fight!" Tamaki roared as he charged in his Sutherland.

Tamaki tried to attack the Sutherland closest to his unit with the stun tonfas but the enemy Sutherland activated their own stun tonfas as well and easily knocked Tamaki's weapon aside. It then used its stun tonfa to destroy Tamaki's Sutherland, forcing the ejecting system to activate.

"Damn it!" Tamaki shouted as he was forced to leave the area.

After scurrying about the ghettos most of Naoto's team gathered at the edge of the ghetto.

"Okay, is everyone here?" Ohgi asks as he looks through the number of people gathered around. It seemed to him that everyone was here.

"Wait, where's Naoto-kun?" Nagata swiftly asks.

"Huh, that's right." Ohgi said as he fumbles to bring his radio communicator out.

"Hey Naoto-kun, Naoto-kun, are you there?"

"Yeah, I hear you Ohgi-kun."

"Where are you? I thought we were all to meet up at the edge of the ghetto?"

"Yeah well, about that, I'm kind of stuck. I'm surrounded by Britannian forces right now and can't get out."

"Then we'll come and help get you out then. We might run into some trouble on the way but…"

"No, don't do that! Just go on ahead without me!"

"But, we can't do that!"

"Hey, don't worry about me. I'll be fine. I'll make it out of here somehow I guarantee you all. Just have a little faith in me okay? I'm your leader after all and I…Zhht." Before Naoto could finish static started to rise and communication was cut off.

"Hey, what should we do now?" Minami asked.

After discussing it out amongst themselves they decided to wait for Britannia to clear the area and then go search for Naoto immediately afterwards. They had to wait almost an hour before Britannia left Shinjuku Ghetto. Once they were gone Naoto's team rushed into the deserted place and started searching everywhere for Naoto. About an hour and a half later they pretty much searched every possible inch and cranny of the ghetto but there was no sign of him. Just when they were about to give up Ohgi was walking through a building Naoto was in during the operation and through the corner of his eye something caught his attention. He found Naoto's favorite sniper rifle lying on the ground and picked it up. It was then that Ohgi concluded on what probably happened. The Britannian forces most likely found him.

"How am I going to tell Kallen about this?" Ohgi started to wonder.

* * *

Meanwhile, it was another day at school for Kallen. She attended the same classes, listened to the same lectures, and ate lunch with the same people. The day seemed to have gone by at its same ordinary rate. Once her final class was finish the bell rang, signaling the end of school for the day. After picking up her school bag she walked out of the classroom with the rest of the flock. Once Kallen exited the school building she waited out in the school yard, waiting for her brother to show up.

After about twenty minutes of waiting there was still no sign of him. Kallen then decided to call him up on her cell phone. However, after dialing the numbers and waiting for a response nobody picked up on the other end.

"Hmm…All I'm getting is bad reception."

Giving up on her call, Kallen placed her phone back in her bag and continued to wait. As she stood out in the schoolyard some of her friends and several male students offered to walk her home. But she refused all of their proposals and continued to wait patiently.

After waiting for a long period of time Kallen noticed how vacant the school has become and saw that it was now five-thirty. It was only then that Kallen started to wonder what Naoto was doing.

"He told me that he was going to stop by and pick me up today didn't he? I wonder if he got caught up in some kind of trouble today."

Kallen eventually grew tired of standing around and gathered her things together to leave the area. As she was heading out of the school gates Kallen noticed Ohgi slowly walking down the sidewalk with his hands inside his pockets.

"Ohgi-san, is that you?" Kallen called out in surprise.

As if suddenly knocked out of his daze, Ohgi looked up to see Kallen standing right in front of him.

"Oh, Kallen, so you were still here after all." Ohgi somberly said.

"Never mind about that. Where's my brother? He said he was going to pick me up from school today. Surely you must know something Ohgi."

"…Well, you see."

As Ohgi tried to talk it looked like he was trying his hardest to keep a straight face.

"Did, did something happened?"

"…Well, to tell you the truth, I'm not sure where he is right now."

"What do you mean by that?"

"During our bout today with Britannia, we were evacuating the area once we started losing when we lost communication with him. The rest of us were able to escape but…"

"You mean my brother has…"

"N-No, that's not what I meant. I'm sure he made it out somehow. At the very least, I thought I should make sure you weren't waiting around for him here. Come on, I'll walk you home today."

"…Okay." Kallen weakly said.

The two of them then started to walk down the sidewalk.

"Hopefully we'll hear from him again soon." Ohgi tried to confidently say.

After that remark the two of them were silent all the way back to Kallen's house.

September 8, 2019 a.t.b. Location: Aboard the Ikaruga

"Zero, the Akatsuki team we've just dispatched to track down the two foreign Guren knightmares…they've been shot down, all of them!" One of the crew members shouted out as an X appeared over all of the Akatsuki IFF signals.

"Well that was quick. So it seems they do not want to cooperate and they would rather remain a secret to us after all. What about the blue knightmare? Did Tohdoh and the others succeed in capturing it?"

"No, it seems that the blue, Gekka-like knightmare was able to break free from the gefjun net. It is now engaging in knightmare combat with Tohdoh and the Four Holy Swords. Kallen and the Zero Squad are a safe distance away, watching the battle and making sure the blue knightmare has no chance of escaping." A second crew member said.

"I see, so they have countermeasures even against the gefjun disturber. I suspected that at most, considering they're using the same technology…" Zero said as he mused to himself.

"Here is a visual module of the current situation." A third crew member said as she pulled up a monitor for everyone to see, showing the blue knightmare fighting the Four Holy Swords and their Gekka units.

Above the calm ocean waters of the Pacific Ocean a furious battle between the Four Holy Swords and the Susano'o rages on. The four Gekka units charge straight at the blue knightmare, with each pilot taking their separate shot at it.

Urabe was the first to reach the Susano'o, locking his revolving blade sword with his foe's sword. However, it wasn't long before the Susano'o was able to sweep Urabe's sword and knightmare away with ease, knocking him aside. This gave Chiba a chance to challenge the blue knightmare next, who came right in front of the Susano'o and violently swung her revolving blade sword at the blue knightmare. The Susano'o stopped Chiba's advance however by blocking with its own sword. It then followed up by sliding its sword down Chiba's weapon, which caused her Gekka to fall out of balance and stumble to the blue knightmare's side. The Susano'o then followed it up with a side kick to her Gekka's torso, knocking her away.

"You're pretty good…but let's see how you like these!" Asahina commented as he made his Gekka fire three missiles imbued with radiation from his knightmare's right wrist.

The pilot of the Susano'o noticed the missiles flying in their direction and responded by firing several regular missile launchers from the blue knightmare's air wing system. The twelve missiles fired flew across the sky and collided with Asahina's missiles, causing them to either be canceled out or being knocked off course and falling down towards the ocean below. Asahina then charged at the Susano'o and swung his revolving blade sword at it. The blue knightmare responded by swinging its own sword downward and knocked Asahina's sword off course. The Susano'o then continued by slamming into the Gekka, knocking it away.

It was then Senba's turn as he tried to take a shot at the blue knightmare by striking from the side with his revolving blade sword. The Susano'o, while it was barely able to react to Senba's surprise attack, managed to bring its sword up and block the attack. After the two swords clashed with each other with neither side budging forward the pilot of the blue knightmare decided to fall back and move away from the Gekka. Senba responded to his enemy's movement by firing the handgun equipped to his Gekka's left hand. His attack became ineffective however when the Susano'o raised up its radiation shield and responded with the turrets on its shoulders while still moving back. In order to avoid being hit by the blue knightmare's line of fire Senba had to lower his handgun and raise his own radiation shield to defend his knightmare while drawing his revolving blade sword back out.

"Okay, everything is in place now. It's time for life-or-death-spinning formation!" Senba yelled out as he and the other Holy Sword members charged at the retreating Susano'o from all four cardinal directions, ready to attack the targeted knightmare with their revolving blade swords.

Just when their attacks were about to connect though the Susano'o avoided the blows at the last minute by heaving its entire frame upward, with it now looking down at the four Gekka units from above.

"Impossible…!" Urabe shouted in shock.

"No way…!" Asahina said in disbelief.

"It managed to dodge our attack…?" Chiba questioned.

"Now that required some great skills!" Senba said complimenting the blue knightmare's pilot.

Right after dodging the Four Holy Sword's simultaneous attack the Susano'o brought out its turrets once again and began firing down at them, but it only destroyed the manipulator hands holding their swords, which in turn caused their swords to fall down and plop into the ocean. The blue knightmare then leveled its left hand downward and released a wide range radiation attack, covering the four Gekka units in a blanket of red smoldering heat. Once the attack was finished the Gekka units didn't seem to be affected from the previous attack but when they tried to move the frame would barely budge as if it didn't have any muscle power at all.

"Damn, this is the same attack that Kozuki can do with her Guren." Urabe said lamenting the current situation.

"That means we'll have to wait for the effect to wear off." Chiba said.

"In that case, it's up to the Colonel now."

Just as Senba made that comment a black knightmare with what seemed to have two long strands of red hair dangling down the back of the frame appeared behind the Susano'o while carrying a large sword in both of its hand. This frame was the Zangetsu, piloted by Tohdoh, and was carrying its own customized sword called the brake sword.

With its huge broadsword, the Zangetsu swung its sword horizontally at the Susano'o with the blue knightmare turning around and trying to block the attack with its own sword. Since Tohdoh was able to gain the preemptive attack though, he was able to easily knock the blue frame back and followed up by firing the slash harken attached to his knightmare's sword. The pilot of the Susano'o was able to quickly react however and caught the slash harken with its left hand, and after emitting a short burst of radiation, roasted the harken to a crisp.

"So, you're familiar with all of our moves…Although, whoever is piloting that frame seems to be only concerned with disarming us…"

As Tohdoh murmured to himself he charged onward with his brake sword once more. Meanwhile, the Susano'o, which was able to quickly reorganize itself, also advanced with the sword in its right hand. When the two frames got close enough to each other both knightmares swung their respective blades at each other and resulted in a deep struggle as the swords locked on to each other. Both knightmares furiously tried to push the other frame back with the Zangetsu activating its thrusters equipped to the sword while the Susanoo's blade starting to burn a dark red color. After a deep scuffle between the two knightmares a small explosion occurred, forcing the two knightmares backwards.

"I see now, that red flare his sword emits, its radiation that's powering up his sword. That explains why it's able to cut through knightmares and other weapons with ease."

Tohdoh then looked down at his brake sword and noticed that the thrusters on his weapon were damaged and unusable. He then looked over at the Susano'o and noticed that its sword had several small cracks over the metal blade. It looked like it could shatter at any moment. Tohdoh then noticed the Susano'o raising its left arm up, aiming its radiation surger directly at the Zangetsu. Likewise, he responded by mounting the turrets on his Zangetsu's shoulder, ready for the worst to happen.

Meanwhile Kallen, who was observing the Susanoo's every movement with her Zero Squad, noticed the dangerous situation Tohdoh was in right now and decided it was time to intervene so she ordered her team to attack. Before they got very far though she commanded them to stop when a white ball of light flew by between the Zangetsu and Susano'o. Kallen then looked to see where the attack came from and saw that approaching from the horizon was the red and white Guren knightmares, the ones who are supposedly teamed up with the blue knightmare.

(?'s POV)

"You missed…" The white pilot commented.

"Yeah, on purpose. I could have easily hit the Susano'o as well and hightail it out of here." The red pilot retorted back.

"It's you two." The blue pilot murmured as the two knightmares approached the Susano'o.

"Hey, it looks like you ran into some problems here too. It doesn't look like we'll be getting out of this one without causing a huge casualty to the Black Knight forces first. What do you suggest we do?" The red pilot questioned.

After a long pause and taking a look at the current situation as well as looking at the knightmares in the surrounding area the blue pilot responded back.

"…Well if we continue fighting like this we'll only be hindering our own plans so…Stand down, we have done enough with this pointless fighting. 'She' should be satisfied with this result. We're changing plans." The blue pilot commanded as the Susano'o lowered it sword and radiation surger.

"Heh…it's about time you wised up." The red pilot said as the Guren knightmare lowered its sniper rifle.

(Black Knights POV: Aboard the Ikaruga)

"Zero, the knightmares have stopped moving!" One of the crew members shouted out.

On the monitor before them the blue knightmare have stopped attacking the Black Knight's forces with its weapons lowered. Its two comrades have also arrived but it didn't seem like they were going to attack either.

"Hmm…what are they up to now?" Zero murmured to himself.

"Zero, I've just received a coded message through an unknown channel…According to this they're requesting to land on the Ikaruga and wish to speak with you. They also claim to be from the Knights of the Blue Moon."

After the crew member finished speaking the room was silent for a few seconds. The first person who spoke up was Ohgi.

"So, it really was that organization after all who was helping us. What are we going to do about this Zero?"

When Ohgi asked that question it caused everyone to look back at Zero.

"Hmm…it is a very tempting proposition…"

Zero was then cut off by Diethard who stepped into the conversation.

"Before we delve any further into this I would like to remind everyone that there is a big risk in accepting this proposition. For starters, this Blue Moon organization is a group that even my intelligence agency couldn't hack their way into. Also, there are too many unknowns about this group and if the rumors are to be believed, then this is a group that can't be stopped by even the three world superpower countries. It's hard to tell what this group is up to. And letting them on our main airship…"

Diethard was then cut off by Zero.

"Yes, I agree with you, there are many potential dangers and traps that this group can pull on us. However, if we never speak to them face-to-face then we will never get anywhere and more unnecessary fighting like earlier will continue to arise between our two groups. We have enough enemies as it is, what with Britannia and potentially the Chinese Federation as well. The Black Knights doesn't need a third group to contend with. Besides, if we assume that this is indeed genuine, we should seize this golden opportunity and learn everything we can about this mysterious worldwide organization. I believe there is plenty of useful acquisition that the Black Knights can gain from this. This can also potentially keep us one step ahead of the world as well."

After Zero declared his decision there didn't seem to be any more complaints brought up by anyone.

"…As long as you know what we're getting ourselves into." Diethard said while giving Zero a nod of approval.

"Yeah, so we'll accept their offer while keeping our guard up at the same time." Ohgi commented.

"In any case, open the hatch to the Ikaruga's hanger. Also, we'll have a knightmare squad consisting of Akatsuki units prepared in the hanger just in case. Anyways, order our troops outside to kindly escort our guests here. And one final thing…once the knightmares have landed inside set a course for our military warehouses just outside of Hitachi." Zero commanded.

As the orders were carried out Zero looked at the monitor to see the Zero Squad surrounding the three knightmares as they headed for the hanger.

"C.C., you're coming with me on this meeting." Zero said as he headed for the door.

"Like that wasn't already an obvious choice." C.C. remarked as she followed after Zero.

Location: Kanime Island (3rd Person View)

"You…You're…"

As Xingke tried to find the correct words to say two figures approached him and Xianglin on the shores of the beach. One was a young woman with blond hair and light purple eyes. She obviously looked like a Britannian. The other was a young man with blue hair along a with braid dangling down behind his head along with blue eyes. He seemed to be from Japanese heritage. Both of them were wearing a blue uniform that looked similar to an E.U. military uniform, albeit all their badges seemed to have been removed.

"I know who you are now. You're Leila Malkal, from the E.U.'s special unit, the W-0 Squadron." Xianglin called out.

"Ah, so you already know who I am. In that case I won't need to give a long introduction then. And yes, my name is Leila Malkal." The blond haired girl responded while standing tall and confidently.

"I have heard that you contributed a lot to the E.U.'s early victories in the war against Britannia. But according to recent reports you were put on the E.U.'s MIA list." Xingke continued on.

"Yes well, as far as the world knows I'm MIA but, in actuality I'm the tactical commander for the organization of the Blue Moon Order."

"Is that so…and your bodyguard?" Xingke said as he looked at the blue haired man standing behind Leila.

"Oh, that's right. Go ahead and present yourself." Leila said as she turned her head to her left and looked at her subordinate.

The young man then stepped forward and introduced himself.

"…Akito Hyuga…I'm just a knightmare pilot for the Order of the Blue Moon."

After giving a short introduction he stepped back behind Leila.

"_Hyuga…Where have I heard that name before…?"_ Xingke silently murmured to himself.

"Anyways, I'm sure you have several questions about this organization but we need to keep this meeting brief for today. About that knightmare we wanted to give you…after discussing with several other important members of the Blue Moon Order it has been decided that we'll be handing two machines over to you."

"Two machines…?" Xianglin questionable asked.

"Yes, we were originally only going to give you the 8th generation knightmare frame, XT-409 Shen Hu, but after some discussions it has been decided that along with the Shen Hu its predecessor will be handed over as well."

"Predecessor…?"

"It's a 7th generation knightmare frame but it doesn't have a huge power output like the Shen Hu has. That being said, it should still be able to take out 5th generation and below knightmares with ease as well as having an equal match against 7th generation mass production knightmares frames."

As Leila continued to talk two knightmares rose up from inside the forest. One was the Shen Hu, a blue colored knightmare with red shoulder and an unique face painted yellow. The frame next to it looked very similar to the Shen Hu along with a similar unique face, although its main color was a light shade of brown.

"While I appreciate the generosity your group is giving us, is it really okay to spare two knightmare frames for my group's cause?" Xingke sternly asked.

"Oh, you don't need to worry about that. These two frames behind me aren't being used by anyone and were just sitting around anyway. You see, the Militarized Zone of India is very impressed with us and our work as such that they entrusted all their prototype and experimental knightmares not being used into our protective care."

"I see…"

After giving a nod of agreement plans were made to load the two knightmares onto Xingke's ship. As they were doing so Leila received a call from a transmitter attached to her uniform's collar. She stepped aside and pulled her collar close to her mouth to answer it.

"Yes, what it is…Oh, it's you…I see, they had no choice but to retaliate…What, they decided to make early negotiations with the Black Knights after all…No, it's better this way…I'll just leave it to the two of them…Then I'll wait to hear from them again. Depending on what happens we might have to make changes to our own plans as well…I'm about finished up here with Xingke so…Yeah, I'll speak to you later then."

After cutting off communications Leila turned her attention to Xingke again.

"There wasn't any trouble loading the knightmares was there?" Leila asked.

"No, everything went smoothly." Xianglin answered back.

"I see…hopefully you won't have any trouble getting those machines over to the Chinese Federation without arousing the High Eunuch's attention."

"Right now Xingke's faction is hiding out on Horai Island. That's where we'll be heading as well. Especially since the High Eunuchs isn't aware of our actions yet. And as long as they continue to send Xingke over to the United States of Japan for business related activities our chances of having interactions with your group will increase as well."

"Speaking of which, does your group also plan to form an alliance of such with the Black Knights or the United States of Japan?" Xingke sternly asked.

"Actually, we're planning on doing so with the Black Knights very soon. Of course, that all depends on Zero's choice. Hopefully though, all three of our groups will get a chance to meet together at once soon to have a discussion about how to deal with the Chinese Federation and Britannia. Because for the Blue Moon Order, we simply cannot allow Britannia to do as they please in China. Anyways, we'll discuss more about this on a later date."

"I agree; we'll save this for another time then. It was quite surprising for me though, to discover someone as young as you running an organization like this." Xingke said in deep respect.

"I'm honored to receive such praise from someone like you. Well, if that is all then…"

Leila then started to turn around and was about to leave when Xianglin spoke out.

"Excuse me, but there is something I would like to ask before we go."

"And that is…?" Leila asked as she turned to face them again.

"I hope this isn't too personal for you to answer but, why exactly did you join the Blue Moon Order instead of returning to the E.U. military?"

Leila seemed hesitant to answered Xinaglin's question at first but eventually spoke up.

"Because…a friend asked me to join."

"A friend?"

"Well, I didn't accept his invitation the first time. But after a while it became apparent to me that, in order to look after the well-being of my country, I decided to join in this organization so that, one day, I may return to the place I once called home in peace."

"I see."

After Xianglin made that last comment she and Xingke took their leave on their carrier boat and sailed away. Once they were out of sight Leila let out a sigh of relief as her serious demeanor started to relax a bit.

"Whew…now with that out of the way I can focus on planning our next mission."

"Then, can I assume my task here is finished?" Akito quietly asked.

"Hmm…yes, you're free to go for now but we will probably need you on our next assignment. I'll call you over to the command center if I need you."

After Akito gave Leila a nod of agreement she headed off for the command center on Kamine Island.

Location: Ikaruga Hanger

Once the knightmares safely landed in the hanger Zero, along with a group of other important individuals, were waiting to meet up with their visitors. Along with Zero were C.C., Kallen, Diethard, Rakshata, and Tohdoh.

After coming out of their knightmares three individuals approached the group. Two of them were wearing knightmare pilot uniforms which had what looked like a blue moon imprinted on the uniform's shoulder pads while the last person was wearing regular clothes. What was unique about all three of them was that they all had a helmet of their respective color over their heads with the visors dimmed, making it impossible to tell who they were.

"So, you're from the Knights of the Blue Moon I assume?" Zero questionably asked.

"That is correct. We apologize for any misunderstanding we might have caused." The one in the middle, who was wearing a blue knightmare pilot uniform, answered back with a distorted tone of voice. They must have some special equipment installed in their helmets so they could talk without their voice giving their identity away.

"Those are knightmare helmets correct? They haven't been used since the 2nd generation knightmare frames." Zero commented.

"It's just a safety precaution. After all, keeping our own identities a secret is one of our top priorities. And besides, you're keeping your own identity a secret from us as well with that mask over your head, Zero." The blue pilot accused as he pointed at Zero's face.

"That's true but…"

"It doesn't matter. We don't mind if you wear that mask in front of us. Instead, I believe that by showing my own face everything will be cleared up."

The blue pilot then stepped forward with his hands held onto his helmet. The visor on his helmet then became clearer revealing a face with blue eyes. The pilot then proceeded to remove his helmet revealing his entire head, which included a very familiar face with wild silver hair.

"Hello, my name is Rai Sumeragi…a member of the Order of the Blue Moon." As the young man introduced himself he had his right hand stretched out as if offering a handshake.

After Rai was done introducing himself everyone in the hanger seemed to be shocked by this revelation besides C.C. and Rakshata, who didn't seem surprised at all although they had a small smile across their faces.

"It was him in that blue knightmare all this time. Now it makes sense." Tohdoh remarked.

"Well, this is a big discovery." Diethard said.

After recomposing herself a smile appeared on Kallen's face and she ran over to where Rai was standing and placed her arms around him, catching Rai off guard and causing him to drop his helmet in the process.

"It really is you! Welcome home, Rai!" Kallen joyfully said.

"Yeah, I'm back." Rai responded as he put his arms around Kallen in return.

"Heh, so it was him all this time after all. I should have known that but, I had my suspicions and doubts as well." Zero commented to himself.

After struggling through the strength of Kallen's arm Rai managed to get his mouth close enough to Kallen's ear so he could whisper something to her.

"Kallen, there's something I want to give to you. My cousin told you about it didn't she?"

"Huh, yes, she did say something about that. What is it anyways?" Kallen questioned back.

"Well…"

Rai then turned his head and looked at the red knightmare pilot standing behind him.

"Let's just say I had a hard time of figuring out how I was going to wrap it up for you."

He then gave the pilot a nod with his head signaling him to step forward.

"Right, I guess I should introduce myself next." The red pilot said as he steps forward and proceeds to remove his helmet.

Once the helmet was removed it revealed the face of a young man in his mid-twenties, who had blue eyes, red combed down hair, and was also wearing a red headband around his forehead, the same kind that Kallen and her old resistance cell wears even today.

"T-That's…" Zero struggled to find the correct words as he was bewildered by the person's appearance.

"Yo, my name is Naoto Stadtfeld. I'm the field commander of the Knights of the Blue Moon and I can also target and fire all the way up to the atmosphere. But please, feel free to refer to me by my mother's surname, Kozuki." As the man introduced himself he flashed a smile while giving a thumbs-up with his left hand. Also, compared to Rai, his voice sounded more carefree.

Once Kallen got a look at the red haired man standing behind Rai her eyes immediately grew wide and she seemed to be at a loss for words.

"N-N-Naoto…Big bro…is that you?" Kallen said in disbelief.

"Yep, it's me, in the flesh." Naoto responded.

Kallen then shouted out in joy and pushed Rai away, causing him to stumble backwards and fall down to the ground. She then ran over to where Naoto was standing and hugged him instead.

"This really is you right, no tricks?" Kallen continued to say as she hid her face in Naoto's chest.

"Oh come on, have a little faith in me why don't you. I'm your older brother after all. Did you seriously think I was dead? Anyways, look who went and got all grown up!" Naoto remarked back.

"So that's…Kallen's older brother…" Zero quietly murmured to himself as even he was having trouble believing what he was seeing.

Meanwhile C.C. looked over at Rai, who was still on ground.

"You're yesterday's news already." C.C. commented.

"…Well, compared to that guy." Rai said as he moved his hand across the back of his head and looked back over at Kallen and Naoto.

"Hey, we should go meet up with Ohgi and everyone else to let them know that you're alive. I bet your appearance will surprise everyone!" Kallen suggested with a gleeful smile on her face.

"Well in that case, what are we waiting for!" Naoto said in the same eager tone of voice.

"Most of them are probably in the warehouses right now. Let's go."

After tugging on her brother's arm the two siblings left the Ikaruga, which have already arrived at their destined location, and headed outside the hanger.

Once they were gone the remaining masked pilot offered Rai his hand so he could stand back up.

"You and Naoto are going to be here in the United States of Japan for the meantime correct?" The white pilot asked.

"Yes, that's right." Rai answered back.

"In that case I'll head back to Kamine Island then."

"Then while you're at it make sure you give Leila my report then."

"…Roger that."

The white pilot then got back in his knightmare and left the hanger.

"Well, that sure was an interesting gift." Zero mused out.

"…Yeah."

"Anyways, who was that third pilot with you?"

"Oh him…Well, we just call him OZ but his real name is Orpheus Zevon."

"I see…he's from the Zevon family." Zero answered.

Zero then turned his attention back to Rai.

"So, shall we welcome this reunion with a game of chess?" Zero suggested.

"I think I'll pass this time." Rai answered.

"Yeah, I know. There are other matters that need to be discussed."

Rai was then about to leave the area with Zero and C.C. and head for his office located inside the warehouse when they were suddenly stopped by Rakshata.

"Just so you know Rai, I'm going to be checking on my knightmares to see if your group have been taking care of my creations."

"Feel free to do so." Rai calmly responded.

After giving a nod of agreement Rakshata placed his pipe back in her mouth and walked over to where the Susano'o and Naoto's Guren were at with her research crew. Rai then continued to follow Zero and C.C. back to their office.

Location: Aboard the Avalon

"Well, this is our third attempt to end in failure."

As Cornelia disgustingly said as she sat on her throne-like command seat while talking to a man sitting at a small table by himself. On the table were two chessboards, one with black and white pieces while the other had blue and gold pieces on it.

"Yes, I know." The man calmly said without looking back at her as he moved chess pieces all over the place on both boards.

"And to top it off we lost General Upson and a large portion of our air fleet too." Guilford added in as he stood next to Cornelia.

"It was a small price to pay. He could hardly be called a 'General' anyways, what, with the way he commands his soldiers after all. In fact, I think we benefit more this way. It'll give me more free range and moves to make on the battlefield now. In the end, General Upson played his part well for me. He fulfilled the role I wanted him to do anyways."

As the man talked he picked up a golden pawn chess piece and tossed it over his shoulders. In the pawn's place he positioned a blue colored queen chess piece where the pawn once was.

"Just what do you mean by that? You know, the way you've been conducting things so far is beyond audacity." Cornelia lashed out.

"Oh really…tell me Princess Cornelia, does one win a battle when they simply rush into the enemy's territory with their strongest forces?"

"Of course not! That's simply suicide!"

"You're correct, in this age its information that determines who wins the war. And that is exactly what I've been doing so far. I had to gauge the strength of our enemies before even thinking about commencing a big operation. That's why these first three battles were merely tests. Who won or lost…the results didn't matter to me. It was the information I was after. Yes, everything went pretty much went the way I wanted it to. But we can't let Zero and the Black Knights get too overconfident now. This is why I personally will be leading our next assault on the United States of Japan."

"What, you'll be heading out into the battlefield yourself?"

"Well it's not like you can do anything right now. You don't even have a knightmare to pilot. But I do. And I'm waiting with anticipation to test it out and gain some results on it."

"Another new model?" Guilford said in disbelief.

"Oh, it was something that my friend was in the middle of making but I finished the project for him. Anyways, my forces will be leading the battlefield this time, I'm even using my own airship, the Laevateinn. Meanwhile, your troops and the Avalon will simply be backup."

"What, your saying I'm simply reserve militia this time?"

"I know you're the so called 'Princess of War' but this time you and Knights of the Round are simply in the way."

The man then stood up, picked up a black leather mask that was lying flat on the table next to the chessboards, and placed it over his head. He then started to head for the door.

"I'll show you all what a war really looks like. By the time I'm done it'll be raining hellfire down on the United States of Japan."

With that final comment the now masked individual left the command room. Things were then dead silent until Guilford started to speak up.

"Princess, are you okay?"

"Hmm…yes, everything is fine except, that man…there is certainly something 'odd' about him. After Nonnette he is definitely the second person I wouldn't want to run into on the battlefield. Until my new knightmare is finished I'll be counting on you Guilford to continue guiding my royal guards on the battlefield."

"Yes, just leave it to me Princess." Guilford proudly said as he gave Cornelia a salute.

* * *

Meanwhile, as the masked man walked down the halls of the Avalon he began talking on his phone.

"Yes, this is me…Get ready to submerged the Laevateinn from the ocean floor and get IFX-4DML Agravain ready for me as well…Yes, once that Green Joker from Secret Intelligence is done fooling around the Okinawa Islands that's when my plan will finally begin. Until then, the Black Knights and the Blue Moon Order showed me a glimpse of their strength so I wish to return the favor and let them get a taste of my power."

As the masked man finished his call an airship about the same size as the Avalon slowly started to ascend from the ocean right underneath the Avalon.

Location: Black Knights Warehouse

As Ohgi and his former resistance gang sat and stood around some crates in the warehouses they suddenly heard Kallen shouting from the other end towards the entrance.

"Ohgi, everyone, come over here! There's something that you all just have to see!"

They looked over to where Kallen was running from and saw her waving her hand in the air while being in a very ecstatic mood for some reason. The group then looked behind her to see a young man wearing jeans, a dark shirt and a brown jacket who had blue eyes and red hair walking slowly behind Kallen. They all instantly recognized him as Naoto Kozuki and started to become riled as well as they all ran over to the young man.

"Naoto-kun!" They all shouted as they crowded around him.

"Now that's what I call a welcoming party!" Naoto responded.

"Naoto-kun, it's great to see you're back again!" Tamaki shouted as he got Naoto a big pat in back.

Naoto then looked throughout the crowd as if someone was missing.

"Hey, where's Nagata?"

When Naoto asked that questioned everyone seemed to become disappointed.

"Nagata, he passed away two years ago from a poison gas operation." Kallen sadly said.

"Oh, I guess I better pay my respects at his grave later then."

The gang then started flying questions left and right causing Naoto to silence them all.

"Alright, alright, one question at a time please. I guess I'll just start off from the beginning then."

Naoto' Flashback-Location: Shinjuku Ghetto (First Person View)

"Ohgi…Ohgi…can you hear me?"

I shouted out into the radio trying to communicate with Ohgi but it was no good due to the interference I was getting. Knowing that I was trapped like a rat in a maze due to all of those Britannian Sutherlands scattered throughout the Ghettos I decided to play it safe and kept myself hidden inside the destroyed building sites. I figured that maybe if I kept myself hidden and wait it out I could escape once the Britannian forces left the Ghettos. After putting the radio communicator in my back pants pocket I held my sniper in my hands and kept myself hidden away.

About fifteen minutes later however I heard the voices of Britannian soldiers inside the facility and decided to make a run for it. As I was running away I ran into contact with some Britannian soldiers who tried to stop me but I escaped by jumping into a window of a different building adjacent to the one I was currently in. I then found myself in a room with a large open space and thought I was safe when I heard a woman's voice call out.

"Hey you, stand and freeze where you are!"

After turning around and seeing it was a Britannian pilot of course I wasn't going to do as she demanded and I started to take off. The Britannian woman then took out a pistol and shot at me without hesitation. She must've had good aim because she managed to hit my leg, causing me to slow down considerably. The next thing I knew someone tackled right into me, causing me to drop my rifle and collapse onto the ground.

"Good work Kewell…Viletta."

I then opened my eyes to discover I was being restrained on the ground by a male britannian pilot and saw none other than Margrave Jeremiah standing before me. He then must have recognized me when he saw my face.

"You…you're one of Stadtfeld's…you mean to tell me a member of the Stadtfeld family is actually working in conjunction with these defiled terrorists?" Jeremiah shouted in disbelief.

"Well if it isn't Margrave Jeremiah. I bet learning the truth about me really hurts now, doesn't it?"

"Naoto, don't you have any loyalty to the crown at all?"

"Hah, like I have any reason to give loyalty to a country like Britannia!" I mockingly shouted out.

"You insolent little…" Jeremiah angrily yelled as he plants his foot on my head and grinds it into the floor.

He continued to keep his foot over my head until another voice called out.

"That's enough Margrave Jeremiah! So, my suspicions about you were correct after all…"

I then heard the steps of a new person walking into the area. When I saw the person it was a man wearing a bright red noble uniform, had blue eyes, and trimmed, combed down hair colored reddish-brown. It was no one other than my father.

"Father…so you knew about me?"

"I had my suspicions about you for quite a while now son."

"Heh, and here I thought you were too busy looking at the money spewing into your face from your Sakuradite mining industry to even notice your children."

"I've taken notice of your extracurricular activities with your Eleven friends for quite some time now. Which is why I have sent the Pure Bloods to watch your actions for the past months."

"And now you've caught me. So, what are you going to do now, execute me?" I casually say which my father just sighs to.

"…It appears I have failed in properly teaching you the Britannian way of life."

"Hah, like I want to live in a world filled of snobby Britannians. I would rather die as a Japanese terrorist before becoming a good for nothing Britannian Noble!"

"Sighs…To think that you would turn out to be like this. I know that my job is very time-consuming and I don't get to see you all that much but I really thought my children were more properly raised than this. Now I have no choice but to take you back to the homeland so I can properly re-educate you in the Britannian manner."

"Oh, so taking Japan wasn't good enough for you. Now you want to take my freedom, and more importantly my mother and sister away from me as well?"

"This is for the better of the entire family! You're such a disappointment that we can't have word of you being a terrorist leak out to the public. It would just ruin the Stadtfeld name. And we also can't have your younger sister picking up your bad traits and habits either. She still has a chance to be properly bred and fit into the Britannian society. I'll just have to leave her with the housewife and maid back at the manor. You, on the other hand are coming with me."

"Oh, and what about your mining rights with the NAC?"

"Don't worry about that. I'm setting up a new mining site at a place where I believe a massive amount of Sakuradite close to the amount held here in Area 11 is located back in the homeland. If my hunch is right, with the rumored Sakuradite there won't be any need to rely much on Area 11's Sakuradite storage. Now come, it's time for us to go."

I then tried to struggle my way out but with the weight of Jeremiah, Viletta, and Kewell overpowering me I was helplessly carried away. I was then forced to go to the Britannian homeland with my father, although it felt more like his prisoner than as his son. I was then thrown into the detention center where I was to be "re-educated" into the proper Britannian way. I don't know how long I was in there, but when it became apparent to my father that I wasn't learning anything he then decided to make me part of his mining team. There I was forced to work non-stop on finding any leads to Sakuradite up in the Rocky Mountains of the Colorado region as my father believed there was a huge streak of Sakuradite located within the mountain. After doing that for another unknown amount of time it was then that, just when my father was going to give up on the mining excavation it was my stupid dumb luck that I stumble into a huge hive of Sakuradite. It wasn't as big as Mt. Fuji's mine, but there sure was a lot of it in there.

And do you know what my father did after he found his precious mines? He literally had my behind thrown into the bottom floor of Temple Tower, disregarding me as his worthless son and leaving me to rot away because of my so-called undisciplined nature.

I was in there for so long that it was then that I thought this was the place where I was going to die. One day however, I was saved by a person wearing a knightmare pilot suit and wielding a sword.

"So, just who the hell are you?" I questionably asked.

"My name is Rai…Rai Sumeragi."

"Sumeragi huh…So was it Kyoto that asked you to come all the way out here?"

"No, I'm not affiliated with them. I'm with the Order of the Blue Moon and I would like to recruit you into this organization. I even got a knightmare prepared just for you."

Seeing the gates of freedom open to me, I gladly decided to follow him. After all, it was thanks to his help that I was able to finally escape from that Britannian Hellhole. Once Sumeragi explained what his group does and what their goals were I decided to accept his offer and joined the Knights of the Blue Moon. With them I was able to give Britannia a lot of payback after all the hell they made me go through.

Flashback End (3rd Person View)

"And that's what I've been up to in these past five years." Naoto said as he finished his story.

Everyone seemed to have been shocked and silent after listening to Naoto's tale.

"So what are you going to do now that you are in Japan?" Sugiyama asked.

"Huh, well I guess I'll continue my work for the Knights of the Blue Moon."

When Naoto said that it caused everyone in the room to become saddened.

"Huh, hey now, there's no need for the long faces. The Blue Moon Order doesn't think of the Black Knights as enemies and what happened earlier today was just a misunderstanding. Also, those guys from the Blue Moon Order might not want to admit it but they need me."

Afterwards the gang continued to talk amongst themselves about the past until it was time for the other members to get back to their jobs for the Black Knights, leaving just Naoto and Ohgi around the warehouse.

"Still, I didn't think you tried to take over the group in my place." Naoto said.

"What do you mean by that?" Ohgi answered back.

"Sorry buddy, I don't mean to insult you or anything, but compared to me you suck at being a leader."

"Well you don't have to put it like that!" Ohgi retorted back.

"Heh, yeah I know. Well, I guess it could've been worse. I guess Tamaki could've tried to be the leader. Haha!" Naoto laughed out at merely mentioning Tamaki.

As Naoto was laughing uncontrollably a dark skinned woman with long bluish teal hair walked up to Ohgi.

"Kaname, I got all of the knightmares in the bay port area all worked out for you. They're ready to go at any time."

"Oh, thank you Chigusa-san."

"Hey Ohgi, who's this?" Naoto casually asks as he entered the conversation.

The woman then noticed Naoto's presence and almost seemed surprised to see him.

"Y-You…" The dark haired woman murmured.

"Huh, do you know me?"

"…N-No, it's nothing." The woman quickly dismissed.

"Well, in any case, I better get going."

After saying farewell, the dark skinned woman seemed to have taken off in a quick rush. As the woman left Naoto watched her with a serious look in his eyes. Once she was gone Naoto started to relax again in both his face and voice.

"Oh, so you're into those kinds of women huh Ohgi?" Naoto flatly says out loud.

"H-Huh, n-no, it's not like that! I'm just trying to help her remember something she forgot." Ohgi honestly said.

"Oh, is that so? Well, I think I need to go get some fresh air outside."

Naoto then started to head for the exit of the warehouse.

Location: Zero's Office

After the three of them stepped into Zero's room Zero and C.C. took a seat on one of the sofas while Rai sat by himself on the sofa facing the opposite side. Once everyone was seated Zero took off his mask and revealed himself as Lelouch.

"So, you were the leader of this Blue Moon Order after all." Lelouch started to speak first.

"When you say it like that you're making it sound like I'm in charge of everything in the organization." Rai repudiated back.

"Well you are the one leading that group aren't you?" Lelouch questioned again.

"…It's true that I am the one who founded it but when it comes to planning and actually 'leading' the group, Leila is the one who is in charge."

"Leila…that's the friend from your past right?"

"Yes, although, when it looks like something is not going my way I will step in and correct the mistake like I had to today, but that rarely happens."

"So, you were secretly helping us in the background after all. Were you that worried about protecting Japan?" Lelouch jokingly said.

"Hmph…it wasn't my idea. I figured the Black Knights would be more than capable of defeating the Britannian forces sent here. But it was Naoto who practically begged us to go and intervene with Britannia, saying that protecting the United States of Japan would also help protect one of our secret bases close to Japan."

"So it was Naoto huh…Besides him who else is in this secret organization of yours?"

"Sorry Lelouch, but I'm afraid I can't tell you much about that, or everything else about this organization for that matter."

"Oh, you're willing to keep secrets even from me?"

"Even I must keep some things a secret sometimes. Besides, it wouldn't be a secret organization if I blabbed everything about it to everyone. Just know this, the Order of the Blue Moon have no intention of interfering with the United States of Japan or your plans of destroying Britannia either."

"Oh is that so…in that case what is your organization trying to do? Can you at least tell me that? What goals are you trying to achieve?"

"Well…the Order of the Blue Moon have several goals, both as a group and as individuals. But if you want to know the main goal of this organization then…it would most likely be to bring about…the reformation of the world."

"The reformation…what do you mean?"

"It is exactly what it means in every sense of the word.

Before Rai could continue on however two beeping noises went off…one came from the television monitor hanging on Zero's wall and the other came from within Rai's left pocket. Rai then pulled out his PDA and looked at the message on his screen.

"Sorry, but I need to answer this." Rai apologetically said as he stood up and headed for the door.

"Yeah, go ahead, we'll continue this later. Something just came up for me as well."

As Lelouch said that he pushed a button on his remote to receive the transmission call while leaving it on sound only with no image appearing on the screen.

"Yes, what is it?" Lelouch harshly asked in his Zero voice.

"Britannian forces has been detected to be approaching the city of Hitachi from the eastern Pacific Ocean. They will be arriving in thirty minutes!" The soldier troublingly said over the communication line.

"What, and you waited until now to tell me this important detail!?" Zero said while showing a little bit of panic and surprise in his voice.

"I'm sorry sir, they just seemed to appear so abruptly without our immediate attention."

"Well, what are you going to do now Zero?" C.C. calmly asked.

"Ergh…Tell all forces at the bay port area to begin preparations to intercept them. I will get the forces here at this base to begin mobilizing as well." Zero commanded.

"Roger that sir!" The soldier complied as communication was turned off.

Lelouch then walked over to the table and hastily put his mask back on while still being ticked off at the current situation.

"Britannia is probably not going to hold back this time." C.C. calmly comments.

"Yes, I know that! This time, they're most likely going to bring out everything they got with them. I knew they were going to try something like after seeing the last few battles. But for Britannia to be using strategies like this, they are certainly trying to fight outside of their normal brutality. That is what have been bugging me though, is this the result of them changing their chain of command repeatedly after the previous battles, or is their top commander in charge trying to fool me? I haven't quite figured it out yet."

"But now you have Rai and the Blue Moon Order backing you up so everything should be okay…hopefully." C.C. added in.

After getting everything prepared Zero and C.C. left the office and immediately headed for the Ikaruga, which, after they boarded took off from the military base and headed for Hitachi.

"Ohgi, what's the current situation?" Zero promptly asked as he and C.C. enter the main command room.

"Well everyone was quickly able to mobilize at the bay area and are ready to shoot down Britannia's air fleet any time now." Ohgi announced.

"I see…good. It's seems we were prepared ahead of time after all." Zero said with a sigh of relief.

"Here is a visual of the current situation."

Location: Hitachi Bay Port Area

Standing on the coastline facing the sea were several teams of Akatsuki units, all armed with bazookas and aimed up at the sky, ready to blast down the incoming Britannian troops. Coming down from the Pacific Ocean were several knightmares equipped with Float Systems which consisted of several Sutherlands and Vincent Wards, while a few Vincent Commander Models were seen with them as leader units. One thing the Black Knights noticed was that these Britannian knightmares were painted black, an unusual color for them to use since the most common color scheme for their knightmares were usually white and indigo.

"What's up with that…are they mocking us?" One soldier comments.

Nevertheless once the enemy forces were in the firing range of the bazookas the Black Knight commanders stationed in the port was ready to give the command.

"Fire…!"

Once he shouted that command however he notices something unexpected happen. Several of the Akatsuki units started to inexplicitly explode, as if a bomb has been planted on the units beforehand. In just a matter of seconds roughly three-fourths of the forces stationed in the port were destroyed due to these mysterious explosions, which also caused the remaining units to be thrown into disarray and their weapons being knocked away.

Shortly after the explosions ceased a new problem appeared in the form of the Portman II units, an upgraded version of Britannia's original aquatic unit the Portman, started splashing out of the water and onto the dock while equipped with assault rifles to top it off. The Portmen then started to mow down the remaining forces with little resistance. In a matter of minutes the naval forces took over the entirety of Hitachi's bay port area.

Location: Aboard the Ikaruga

"Zero, enemy forces have taken over the bay area!" A crew member shouted out.

"…_They definitely came prepared this time. But how could this have happened so easily?"_ As Zero pondered to himself he suddenly looked down at Ohgi.

"Ohgi, I thought you reported that everything was perfectly set." Zero said with a hint of anger in his voice.

"I…I did…but…I thought everything was set to go."

Ohgi seemed to be at a loss for words.

"_You thought…? Tch…it looks like I'll have to take measures into my hands. It's true that the best place for enemy forces to invade the city of Hitachi is from the ocean. From there the bay area is the best location for them to set up a base of operations. Fine, so be it. I've already prepared something just in case this were to ever occur. They can have the bay area along with this as well!"_

Zero then pushed a button on the remote that he had hidden underneath the podium he was standing at. After pushing the switch several warehouses at the port area started to detonate causing the Britannian forces already there to fly left and right as the explosions went off thanks to the sakuradite bombs Zero planted in some of the warehouses ahead of time. The entire place was covered in a pink smog. Once things calmed down the place was reduced to rubble making it look like an unlikely choice to use as planning site.

But this didn't seem to stop the Britannian forces at all as it wasn't until after the explosion the Britannian air carrierships and naval boats arrived to drop knightmare frames off. Several Sutherland and Vincent units jumped off at the now isolated and flat bay area and then charged forward right into the streets of Hitachi or flying above the skies of the city. They then started attacking everything in sight, whether it be the Black Knight knightmares or the city itself.

"_Damn, I set off the explosives too soon. It seems like they were anticipating what my moves were going to be. But how were they able to know that? Oh well, I still managed to destroy most of their naval forces so it wasn't a total loss…"_

Location: Black Knights Warehouse

As Rai walked down the hallways he began talking to another person through his PDA.

"Leila, what is it?" Rai calmly asks.

"I'm calling to let you know that the Britannians are attacking the United States of Japan again. This time they're hitting the city of Hitachi once more except this time they seem to have made the preemptive move. They've already thrashed through the bay port area and are heading for the city at this very moment."

As Leila continued to talk a picture showing the port in a ruined state appear on Rai's PDA.

"Does that mean the Knights of the Blue Moon have another mission then?" Rai quickly asked.

"Yes, and I will need you and Naoto for the first phase of the plan. I've already sent him the details. Also, just so you know I'm also close to the city of Hitachi as well."

"Huh, you came as well? Does that mean you brought the Kagutsuchi with you?"

"No, that thing is still at Kamine Island. It's still not exactly the time to reveal ourselves to the world yet. I'm using my own knightmare for the time being while giving out instructions to everyone. I'll give you your exact instructions once you're in your knightmare."

"Okay, I'll be right there then."

Rai then cut communication from Leila and turned his PDA off. He then hurriedly sprint down the hallway until he arrived in the hanger where his knightmare was. He also saw Naoto run down the catwalk and practically jump right into his knightmare's cockpit. Rai then made his way over to his own knightmare and boarded his cockpit. Once inside he put in the activation key causing the knightmare to come to life.

"This is Type-06R Susano'o, Rai Sumeragi, ready to accept and engage in the next operation."

The Susano'o and Guren Reverse then left the knightmare hanger, activated their air wing glide system, and set a course for the city.

Once they arrived they saw the Black Knights and Britannian forces furiously engaged both in and above the city. Leila's voice then started to resound through the communication line.

"It seems that you two have made it."

"Yeah, so what exactly are our orders today Ms. Malkal?" Naoto casually asked.

"As you can probably see the two sides are already heavily engaged in the city. This time however we'll leave it up to the Black Knights to take care of the forces in the city. Our objective here will be to prevent any more of Britannia's forces of entering the city. The two of you will head to the bay port area where their sending out their air troops and destroy any knightmares trying to enter the city from there. Is that clear?"

"Yep, we heard you loud and clear. Alright then, let's commence the operation. I'll take the north-eastern end. Rai, I'll leave the south-eastern end to you."

"Roger that."

After Rai's reply the two knightmares separated and took to their assigned location. Once Rai arrived at his destined location he saw the challenge set before him.

"So there's a team of five enemy units here. Four Vincent Wards headed by a Vincent Commander Model. Even though they are all seventh generation knightmares with this unit I should be able to…It seems I'll be able to use a diversion here."

As the enemy knightmares failed to notice his approach Rai shot several missiles out of the blue knightmare's wing system which headed straight for the enemy units where the missiles released chaffsmoke upon passing them. Rai then charged straight into the smokescreen and found one Vincent Ward which seemed to be confused and didn't noticed his unit so he used the Susanoo's revolving blade sword to easily slash the knightmare in half. After its destruction Rai continued to fly around in the smokescreen but couldn't find anymore knightmares. They seemed to have already left the chaffsmoke area.

"Hmm…usually I can destroy three or four knightmares like this but…"

Once the smoke dissipated Rai found the remaining four knightmares outside, ready to shoot at his frame with their assault rifles. Once they started firing Rai activated the radiation shield system in front of his knightmare to protect him from harm while retreating backwards. Once he was out of their firing range Rai took a closer look at the knightmares he was facing.

"Wait a minute…those knightmares are colored black…are they Pluton's units…but, what are they doing here on Britannia's front lines?"

As Rai wondered this to himself one of the Vincent Wards put their assault rifle away, formed a dual-wielding MVS Lance with two swords and charged at the Susano'o. Rai reacted by swinging his knightmare's sword and clashed with his opponent's weapon. The two blades bounced both knightmares back but Rai quickly charged forward again, swung his blade and knocked the dual wielding lance out of the Vincent Ward's hands. The black knightmare then retracted its stun tonfa and tried attacking with that but the Susano'o stopped the tonfa by grabbing it, along with the Ward's arm, with its left hand. Rai then released the radiation wave consuming the tonfa and slowly the entire frame until it exploded from the radiant heat.

Rai then saw a Vincent Ward from his west and east direction with all of their stun tonfa activated and heading straight for him. Judging by the high speed they were moving, Rai waited until the last moment, moved upwards, and saw the two Vincent Wards collide into each other, causing both frames to blow into flames.

That just left the commander model, which tried to attack Rai from behind with its dual wielding lance. Rai was barely able to make the Susano'o block the attack with his own sword, though he was still sent flying back. The Vincent Commander then charged forward with its left elbow sticking out, ready to bust out its needle blazer system. Rai nullified the attack by forming a wall of radiation in front of his knightmare using the radiant surger, causing a small explosion to occur. Rai used the distraction however to quickly pull his turrets out and shoot at the Vincent, causing huge dents until the frame blew up seconds later. Rai then gave a sigh of relief as he look down at the IFF Signals to see that Naoto has finished up on his end as well.

"Well, it seemed that the first phase is now complete. I don't see any more of Britannia's forces around. Now we can move on to phase…"

Before he could finish however he receive an urgent message from Leila.

"Rai, watch out! There's an enemy unit heading straight for your position at incredible speed!"

Rai then turned his knightmare to where the signal was coming from only to see a knightmare ram right into him and started to drag him away from the battlefield. Once they were completely surrounded by only the ocean did the mysterious knightmare let go of the Susano'o. It then flew on ahead before turning around and faced Rai's knightmare. Rai saw that it was a black frame with golden trims.

"Is that another new model from Britannia? It looks somewhat like the Gawain except its closer to the size of the average knightmare. What exactly are they planning though?"

"Well, what do you say Mr. Knightmare Pilot of the Blue Moon Order…Show me that you are indeed worthy of Sumeragi's Legacy!" The mysterious pilot of the black knightmare called out which left Rai mystrified.

"Huh…how does he know about…Who is this guy…? But, for some reason, I feel like I know this presence, like I've heard that voice somewhere before…but where…"

As Rai wondered this to himself the black knightmare raised its arms and released two hadron cannon blasts.

On to the next Stage…


	31. Chapter 31

**Author's Note: Hello everyone, I have finally came back to Fanfiction after being away for about over a month now. Now that I'm done with doing final exams and other school related work I managed to finish this chapter. Also, for those who do not already know this, on Code Geass Fanon Wikia I have set up some pages and new information regarding this stories such as; knightmares in this story, some information on the geography of the superpower countries, and some other stuff that I'll continue adding in. So feel free to check it out if you like. I'll be setting a link to the website from my profile there very soon. Anyways, I hope you enjoy this chapter. **

Code Geass Colorless Memories

Stage 31: The Sword of the Blue Knight

December 14, 2017 a.t.b. 6:00 P.M.

Location: Britannian Homeland, the region of Delaware, the city of Harrington

Suzaku headed out for the location marked on a map that came along with the letter that was sent to him while piloting his recently reconstructed Lancelot. As he arrived closer to his destination Suzaku saw a lone figure sitting on the shoulder of a blue knightmare. The machine was on standby mode and stood along the side of a road just outside the perimeter of a devastated town.

"_That must be the person who sent this letter and it looks like it's…him…"_ Suzaku thought to himself as he stared down at the person below him.

This person had silver hair, blue eyes, and was wearing clothing that looked similar to Ashford Academy's uniform as well as having bandages wrapped around his forehead. He was also wearing a brown poncho that was being blown into the air behind his back by the passing wind.

Suzaku landed his knightmare frame on the opposite side of the road, facing the blue knightmare. He then got out of the Lancelot and approached the other person who also got off of his knightmare's shoulder and stood on the blue frame's manipulation hand. The hand then slowly descended downward towards the ground. Once he was close enough to the ground the silver haired person jumped off and walked towards Suzaku.

"Rai…" Suzaku said being the first one to speak.

"Suzaku…" The silver haired boy responded.

There was then a dull silence between the two young males until Suzaku started talking again.

"I see that you have gotten better."

"Yes, I have." Rai responded.

Suzaku then looked up at the blue knightmare behind Rai. It looked just like the knightmare he used in Japan except it had a normal manipulator hand where the radiation surger was once located. It also had what looked like a new prototype flight unit installed on its back.

"Is that the same knightmare you were using in Japan?"

"Oh, this? This is just something the Militarized Zone of India quickly put together for me using what remained of the Proto-Gekka. Although right now 'Repaired-Gekka' would be a more appropriate name for it."

"Anyways, can I assume that it was you who sent that letter and map to me?"

"Yes, it was me."

"You mean to tell me you were actually able to get aboard the Avalon undetected?"

"I have my ways of getting around. And besides, I'm not that suspicious towards Britannia. It also helps that you never told the Britannian military anything about me."

"That's because there are still plenty of things I don't know about you yet. Hey, wait a minute; don't tell me it was you who stole some data from the Camelot database a few days ago?" Suzaku suspiciously asked as he stared intently at Rai.

"…My main mission for boarding the Avalon was to search for you. But since you weren't there at the time I had to leave that letter behind hoping my message would reach you. Also, you may not know this, but I can be a very compelling talker when I want to be." Rai calmly said as he brushed away and ignored Suzaku's previous assumption.

"Okay, so what exactly does a member of the Black Knights want with me? You do know we're in the Britannian homeland right now don't you?"

"I'm well aware of that. Like I said before, I just wanted to speak with you."

"Well if Zero has sent you out here to try to make me come back to Japan then both of you can just forget about it!"

"It wasn't Zero who has sent me to find you. Oh, and just so you know I'm not a member of the Black Knights anymore. I left that organization. So you don't have to worry; we can speak without any constraints for now." Rai serenely said.

When Suzaku heard that he was shocked and surprised at how calmly Rai could say all of that.

"…Y-you quit…Why exactly?" Suzaku puzzlingly said.

"Japan is free now, so there's nothing for me to do there anymore. It was only a temporary job anyways."

"Temporary?"

"Yeah, the only reason I joined the Black Knights was to recover my missing memories. Now that I have them again and I helped get what they wanted our partnership is cut off now."

"So can I assume that I am talking to the 'real you' right now?"

"We've actually talked once before. It was right after the incident on Kanime Island, at the school courtyard."

"So during that time it was the real you all along…But what about Kallen?"

"Huh, what about her?" Rai said in a confused manner as Suzaku brought up a completely different topic.

"Well I thought that you two were…you know…"

"What are you talking about? Kallen isn't that weak. She's perfectly capable of taking care of herself. And besides, it's not like she needs me around in order to protect Japan the way it is now."

"That's not what I meant. I thought you two were about to start a relationship." Suzaku suddenly blurted out but then seemed to look down in embarrassment.

"At least, that's what everyone at school seems to think…especially after seeing you two at the school festival."

"Oh, you meant that…I see, well…"

It was then Rai who was staring down at the ground with the bangs of his hair covering his eyes. He then looked back up at Suzaku.

"You know, you really shouldn't believe the rumors that spread around that school. Besides, I don't really have time for those kinds of relationships in my life right now. Not when there is something I have to do."

"But to just get up and leave…don't you miss her?"

"Yes, yes I do. But, right now Kallen is living in the Japan she has been fighting for this whole time. It's truly a peaceful place now. She can be happy and live in peace, away from Britannia's tyrannical rulers. And as long as she can at least lead a happy life then that is okay for me. Besides, there is no room for contentment in my own life right now. After all, I have already forsaken my own happiness a long time ago…"

"Then what exactly are you trying to do now?"

"That's what I been wanting to talk to you about. I don't know exactly how to put this, so I'll just ask you straight out…I need your help, Suzaku."

"Huh, help…with what?"

"As you are already aware of, with the success of the Black Rebellion Area 11 has become independent and transformed into the United States of Japan. The end result…peace has come to Japan and the Black Knight's battle has ended for now. However, my battle still continues."

"Your battle…?"

"Yeah, my battle…With the Black Knights tired and ragged from the rebellion I have no choice but to go out and form my own group. I'm starting by recruiting people who I know but are not part of the Black Knights. But I'm not having too much luck with that so far."

"And who exactly are you trying to fight?"

"We are going to fight against all the injustices in this world and bring about the reformation, starting with Britannia."

"Why Britannia…?"

"Because…it's the country that needs to change the most. Besides, it's only natural that I would want to look out for the best interests of both my countries."

"Both your countries…? Wait, are you saying that you're…"

"Yes, I'm Japanese and Britannian. I guess Kallen didn't tell you that part about me. So I'll ask again…will you help me?"

Rai then stuck his hand out in front of Suzaku.

"After all, you have always wanted to fight and walk alongside the same path with me, correct? This is your chance and I'm still waiting for that handshake."

Suzaku then took a second to think before answering.

"Sorry Rai, but I'm not joining you nor is this the path I want the both of us to walk on."

"Oh, so you're going to act like a meanie again huh?" Rai disappointedly said as he withdrew his hand back inside his poncho.

"Meanie…?" Suzaku confusingly questioned.

"…Never mind. Regardless, I already guessed that you were going to give me that kind of answer. I still thought I had to ask anyways, just in case. But I do have to ask one thing…why are you still siding with Britannia? You told me once that you joined the army in order to change the two countries for the better from within the system. But now since they are separated your role in the military is kind of unnecessary now isn't it?"

"Yes, I know that I said before that I was going to make Japan a better place by working within the Britannian system. And as you said even I must admit that Japan is starting to be rebuilt for the better, even if it was brought about by the wrong methods. But I still believe that it could've been brought about without fighting and without breaking away from Britannia."

"Suzaku, if you're still talking about the SAZ then there is something you should know about it. That event…was hopeless from the beginning and doomed to fail."

"H-Hopeless…!?" Suzaku shouted out in disbelief while Rai still stood with an apathetic expression on his face.

"Yes, the way I see it the SAZ was a means to bring about a false peace. Thanks to Princess Euphemia, who was so focused on helping the Japanese, she became blinded by her own kindness and failed to see the consequences of trying to force peace onto people. The world doesn't work that way after all. It takes more than simple idealism to bring about united peace."

"So you're saying this is all Euphie's fault?" Suzaku lashed out as he accused Rai.

"No, I'm not saying that at all. Although Princess Euphemia did pick a bad time to try to resolve the conflict between Japan and Britannia with kindness through her pacifist nature. She was trying too hard even though she never really had any real power in Britannia to begin with and ended up being duped by whoever allowed her to plan the SAZ. In the end both you and Euphemia were blinded by your idealistic nature, preventing you from seeing what a mistake the SAZ was. And another thing…ugh…!"

Before Rai could continue on Suzaku walked over and punched him right in the face, causing Rai to fall down.

"I've heard just about enough out of you!"

"Why, because it's the truth? Unlike Zero, there's nothing for me to lie about."

"Yeah well, for all I know you are Zero!"

"Huh, you think I'm Zero?" Rai amusingly said at the thought of being suspected as Zero.

Suzaku then took a quick breath of air to calm himself down being speaking up again.

"Well, it's not entirely impossible that you are him. Ever since I learned that you were a member of the Black Knights I started suspecting that you could possibly be Zero. After all, you did appear at Ashford about a week after Zero made his first appearance in Japan. It also wouldn't be hard for Zero to fake having amnesia and use Ashford Academy as his own personal hiding place. The way you two think is also somewhat similar. Also, Kallen seems to look up and admire Zero's actions greatly and you two always seem to be together at school so I can't help but suspect you if only a little…Especially after the way you've been acting recently."

Rai then brush his face where he got punched with his own fist and then got himself back up before answering to Suzaku.

"You actually thought this through. You made some good points there as well. However, I'm not Zero and I certainly don't want to be him."

After a moment of silence between the two of them Suzaku's face started to ease up a bit and looked like he accepted Rai's response.

"Okay, then can I ask you something else?"

"What is it?"

"During the SAZ ceremony…what really happened between Zero and Euphemia? Because, all the military personnel and even Euphie herself were either passed out or don't remember any of it. I'm positive that besides Zero the only other people who knew what happened are you and that green haired girl he brought with him. Can't you…tell me anything?"

"…I'm sorry. That's something you should ask Zero himself. I cannot tell you."

"I see…" Suzaku said as he depressingly looked down at the ground.

"…I'm sure you heard them. What people are saying about Euphemia and the SAZ…" Suzaku slowly said as he continued to look at the ground.

"Yeah, that's a hotly debated topic right now. Not just in Britannia, but around the world as well. Everyone's opinion is different depending on who you talk to. Some say its Euphemia's fault, some say it was Zero's, and some say they were both secretly working together. There are even rumors saying that Zero killed the real Euphemia and sent in a look-alike imposter to carry out the order."

"But even so, why does Euphie have to suffer because of this? She wasn't trying to hurt anyone."

After Suzaku made that remark Rai looked over at the destroyed town down the road and then dropped his head while hiding his eyes behind his bangs.

"Yeah, why does it always seem to be the innocent and bystanders who suffer the most from the ordeals of the world?" Rai said in an almost whisper tone of voice.

Rai was then silent for a moment before he looked back up. He then turned to his right and took a few steps in the direction of the devastated town.

"Do you see that town over there Suzaku? I bet it's surprising to see that there are even places in the Britannian homeland that can remind you of the ghettos back in Japan. Someone I once knew lived in that town. He was idealistic just like you Suzaku and it was through him that I learned several things about myself and about life."

"Huh…"

"This person I knew, he too thought that if he just 'follow the rules' as you would say and gain as much power as he possibly could he would be able to protect those who were important to him. All he ever wanted was to lead an ordinary life, live in peace with his family, become a master swordsman like his mother, and who knows, maybe even become a Knight of the Round if he wanted to. But then…things happened and his life became anything but ordinary."

A gust of wind then blew by as Rai stared towards the ruins of what used to be a town.

"What happened to him?" Suzaku asked.

"Everything was fine for him until two years ago. And then one day, a group of Britannian insurgents came to town and turned it into what it is today, killing just about everyone who was there in the process. The ones who carried out that attack were his relatives on his father's side, his father included, and as a result he lost his mother and sister, who were the two most important people in his life at the time. After that, well, let's just say you didn't want to be related to him that day. With destruction surrounding him and dead bodies lying all over the place he decided to make a mad grab for power, to learn the truth, and killed those who caused the attack in the first place, including his father. Although, in the end, killing his relatives didn't make him feel any better."

"Rai, you…" Suzaku slowly muttered to himself.

"And even though he was the only one who walked out of that town alive, inside he still felt like he died that day. There was nothing inside of him anymore; happiness, sadness, anger…he felt none of those emotions. Instead, only his corpse dragged him on. As he left that town he also abandoned all the ideals and naivety he once had and decided to see what Britannia really looked like. He ended up becoming a freelancer and roamed the Britannian Areas, defeating anyone who caused trouble or got in his way. And while it's true he fought the Britannian military on multiple occasions he also took out his fair share of resistance organizations controlled by the Numbers. There were plenty of times where they tried to take things too far and he had to take them out himself before they became a major threat to anyone."

"The way you talk it sounds like you know this person well." Suzaku commented.

"Yeah well, that is because that person was me, the me from before. But I'm different now. I'm done looking back at the past; the only path for me now is the future. From now on I will act based on what I believes is right, no matter what the 'system' says. I won't be ruled by anyone and if the world turns into chaos then I'll just keep believing in myself and let the moon guide me. That way, I'll never be wrong."

As Rai finished talking stars started appearing in the now night-lit sky and the moon slowly started to appear over the horizon. He then turned around and got back on the manipulator hand of his knightmare. Rai then pushed a button on the control stick he was holding which caused the knightmare's hand to move upward towards its shoulder. Once Rai was close enough he jumped on the shoulder, turned around and looked back down at Suzaku.

"In any case, the story ends there. I've said everything I wanted to say to you and while it is regrettable that you turned down my offer I'm not one who forces others to do what I want them to do. There are others who are quite capable of taking your place in my group, even if I must fill it myself. That being said I do hope you know what this means…If we were to see each other on the battlefield we will be fighting on opposite sides most likely."

"Yeah, but Rai, I want you to know that I'm not fighting for Britannia for no reason. The reason I'm staying is because there are people in Britannia who are important to me and I will continue to protect by using the system, even if it is corrupt. I'll figure out a way to fix it somehow."

"Heh, funny, sounds similar to what I'm trying to do…Although, I'm going to carry it out in a different way."

Rai was then about to jumped into the cockpit but turned around at the last second as if he remembered something.

"Oh yes, before I forget there's one last thing I need to say to you. I never thanked you for all those times you helped me out when I was an amnesiac, so thank you Suzaku, and goodbye."

After finally getting that last part out Rai didn't say anymore and jumped into the cockpit of the repaired Gekka. The machine soon came to life, activated its prototype air wing system, and took off in the direction of where the moon just appeared in the sky.

September 8, 2019 a.t.b. Location: An unidentified location in the Pacific Ocean

(1st Person POV Rai)

As two hadron blasts fired from the cannons attached to the Agravain's arms I quickly regained my train of thought and made the Susano'o move out of firing range.

"There was no information on that black knightmare in the normal Britannian military databanks. It must have been built in secret outside of their normal channels. No matter, I can look into this knightmare later. Whatever the case, the fact that he knows something about Sumeragi's Legacy means that he's an enemy of E.E. that I must defeat."

I then readied the revolving blade sword in my knightmare's right hand and was prepared to fight back. If my assumption is correct than this black knightmare is based on the Gawain. Although its speed has been greatly increased, its main purpose must be to cause massive damage with the hadron cannon, which means it's a heavy artillery type of knightmare like the Tsukuyomi. That means all I have to do is get into close range and use combination attacks with my sword and radiation surger to bring this to a swift end.

After thinking of my plan I took action and headed straight for the Agravain. The black knightmare responded to my moves by firing off hadron waves. After dodging a few attacks the black knightmare started firing more concentrated cannon fire and dragged the hadron's beam cannon across the air. The hadron cannon attack was almost touching my knightmare as I had to adjust my aerial path just to keep myself from taking a direct hit.

"I see…so Britannia has finally figured out how to converge the hadron's beam cannon…" I commented to myself as I finally approached the black knightmare.

Once I was in a position to attack with my sword I saw the Agravain fold its hadron cannons away over its arms. Huh, what was it doing now? I then saw that it had manipulator hands hidden behind the hadron cannons. It then pulled out what appeared to be two wide length MVS Swords, with the black knightmare holding a sword in each hand. The Agravain then charged straight at me and our swords violently clashed with each other. Even though the Agravain's swords were beating down on my frame I was eventually able to push the black knightmare back with my sword. Okay, this is my chance. It looks vulnerable now. I then mounted the turrets on my knightmare's shoulder and began to rapidly fire at the Agravain.

The black knightmare quickly responded to my assault however by incasing itself in what appeared to be a blaze luminous force field. My attacks were easily knocked away by the green shield.

"In that case…"

I raised my knightmare's left arm forward with the fingers of the radiation surger starting to flash. I then released a wide ranged radiation attack which completely covered the black knightmare and its barrier.

"Did it work?"

As I finished my attack I saw that to my shock the knightmare was completely unharmed, even worse the shield was still there as well. My attack was too soft.

"Hmph…you're not going to defeat me with those weak attacks. I think it's time to show me what you're really capable of. You will not hide anything from me!"

As the mysterious pilot continue to berate me the Agravain charged forward once again, this time with its shield still covering it. It then rammed right into my frame, knocking both of us right above the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Once I pushed the Agravain back again I decided to fire a radiation beam with my left arm's surger. It easily dodged it however and swung its swords once again, clashing with my own weapon. As our knightmares continued to struggle in the deadlock I was eventually forced back. Seeing an opening the Agravain immediately soared above my frame, and with its right leg, it kicked my knightmare right into the ocean.

"Let's see how you'll deal with Britannia's Flying Sharks Squadron." The mysterious masked figure said to himself as the Agravain looked down at the waters of the Pacific Ocean.

Meanwhile, as I recovered from the black knightmare's previous assault I found myself and the Susano'o surrounded by ocean water.

"It knocked me down this far huh?"

After I positioned myself back properly in my cockpit I was about to take off when I noticed five readings on my IFF signal. I looked in the direction of the signals and saw five Portman II units swimming right in right direction.

"So he didn't just dragged me out in the middle of nowhere for no reason. He already thought everything through and even brought backup with him."

The five aquatic frames began to fire torpedoes which scattered all across the ocean floor. I had to raise the radiation shield on the Susano'o just to make sure I didn't get hit.

"Hmm…even though the Susano'o is quite capable of fighting underwater now is not the time to fight these guys. Not when there is a greater enemy that must be defeated."

I decided to ignore the Portman knightmare's assault and headed straight up to reach the surface. Once I was out of the ocean I began to look for the black knightmare when two machines splashed out of the water. It was two of the Portman II units from before and they both had float systems equipped on them along with holding giant cannons on their arms. It looked like I would have to fight some of them after all.

I brought my revolving blade sword, which began to burn a red color, back out and headed straight for one of the Portman II. The one I had my sight on tried to fire its giant cannon at me but I simply moved out of the way and sliced the Portman right in half. I then immediately charged over to the other Portman, knocked its weapon away with my knightmare's left arm, and then burnt it to a crisp with the radiation surger.

I then turned my frame around, and just as I suspected, the black knightmare was a fare distance behind me and fired one of its hadron cannons. I responded by firing a radiation powered beam from the radiation surger. The hadron cannon and radiation beam then collided with each other causing a deep struggle until an explosion resulted from the attacks.

With a dark smoke covering the area I decided to advance and began looking for my enemy. Once the smoke eased up a bit we both found each other and with my radiation powered sword I clashed with his MVS powered sword. As our swords clashed once again the Agravain pulled out another MVS sword with its free hand and was going to attack with it. I blocked it however by grabbing the sword with my left hand and activated the radiation surger. In order to prevent the radiation from spreading throughout the rest of his frame the Agravain detached the sword as well as the manipulator hand. It then brought out its hadron cannon and was prepared to fire it at close range this time. I had to shift my knightmare to the right and move back so I could dodge the attack. I then took a moment to catch my breath and observe the current situation.

"Those unrelenting powerful attacks…this high pressured atmosphere…why do I feel like I've been in a situation like this before…Ergh, I'll find out why soon enough."

After thinking of several questions I decided to put those thoughts behind me and charged straight at the opponent. The Agravain did the same and we both swung our swords as we passed each other. After stopping a fair distance away both frames were suspended in the air as both pilots checked what happened. Rai looked at the Susano'o and saw what looked like a scar across the upper portion of the knightmare's body. Meanwhile the mysterious pilot looked at the Agravain and saw a similar scratch across his frame, albeit it was much bigger and cut in deeper.

"Hmm…interesting…It seems that you possess the stronger sword. In that case…"

After making his observation the pilot of the Agravain turned his frame around and several missiles shot out from both legs of his knightmare.

"Missiles…fly!"

Several missiles were launched out and scattered across the sky as they headed for the Susano'o. I reacted by turning my frame around and fired similar missiles from my knightmare's air wing system. Several small explosions then broke out in the sky as the missiles rammed into each other. However, amongst the confusion two missiles survived and came into contact with my frame. Two small explosions then went off and knocked my frame back.

"Ugh…it's only minor damage. I can still move. Unlike the air wing glide systems, which can only carry twelve missiles, it seems his knightmare can hold onto fourteen."

After I got my machine into an operational state again I saw a dark silhouette slithering across the smoke. The Agravain then popped out and furiously swung its MVS sword at the Susano'o. I was barely able to block the attack with my own sword. I then tried to raise my radiation surger but before I could activate it the Agravain raised its other arm and fired the hadron cannon, which completely incinerated most of my knightmare's left arm. The Agravain then broke away from our sword clash and fired about eight slash harkens from its hips, which all of them managed to get a direct hit on my frame. One of them also hit my knightmare's right hand, knocking the revolving blade sword away.

After falling back I now found myself in a tight situation. I took a minute to look at my knightmare to see what condition it was in. The Susano'o was badly damaged but I could still move it fine. It was missing mostly everything on its left arm, including the radiation surger. I used up all my missiles and my sword was missing too. I then looked over at the Agravain and saw that while it was damaged as well, it wasn't as bad as the Susano'o. The Agravain still had its hadron cannons and one it's MVS Swords still equipped while I barely had anything that could compete with that. Well, I still had "that" still set on the Susano'o. But, would I really use "that" here? Is now the right moment to use it?

Before I could contemplate it any further I noticed that the Agravain was moving again. It was charging straight at me with its sword in its right hand and the hadron cannon ready to use on its left.

"Well, I guess there is no other option for me than to use it now…"

As I murmured to myself I regretfully pushed a button on my joystick. The next moment the right arm of my blue knightmare opened up and revealed a hidden weapon that looked like a tonfa. The tonfa-like weapon then attached itself to my knightmare's right arm. After that I pushed another button to activate the weapon and the tonfa-like weapon retracted itself to reveal that it was actually a long-edged blade. The blade was then incased with a red flame just like with my revolving blade sword. With my new weapon prepared I took off and began my attack.

"Oh, a new weapon I see…it's too late for that now though." The black pilot said as he made the Agravain raise up its blaze luminous shield.

"Nothing will break this shield!"

I just ignored the other pilot's taunt and swung my blade directly at the barrier. Once my blade connected with the shield sparks flew out and my attack seemed to be ineffective at first. However, my blade slowly started to press into the shield until finally my attack went right through and made the barrier shatter like broken glass. With the pilot of the Agravain caught off guard I swiftly made my next course of action and swung my blade once more. The Agravain tried to use it MVS Sword to fend off my attack but just like with the blaze luminous shield my blade slowly carved into his sword and snapped it right in half.

"What the hell? To be strong enough to cut through the MVS…" The black pilot questioned to himself.

I then continued my assault and slashed half of the Agravain's right arm off along with its hadron cannon.

"To think that I would have to use the hidden Totsuka Blade at this stage…"

As I commented to myself I sudden heard a hoarse laugh on the other end.

"Hah…I see now…So that's why she thinks so highly of you…You just became more interesting in my eyes and there may be something special about you after all. Now, let's take this battle outside our knightmares!"

I then turned myself around to face the Agravain but by the time I did I suddenly felt surrounded by a white veil of light.

"W-What is this?"

Location: The Northern Port of a devastated Hitachi (3rd person view)

As Naoto finished off a team of Britannian Sutherlands another squad came charging while firing their assault rifles at his Guren.

"Argh…there's just too damn many of them!"

He then pressed a button to open up a communication line.

"Hey, Commander Malkal, where the hell did Rai run off to? It's starting to get a little difficult on this end even for me!" As Naoto barked over the line his knightmare returned fired on the enemy units with its two assault rifles, taking out only three of the twelve Sutherlands after him.

"I'm sorry, but he's currently engaged with an unknown enemy unit outside our range of communication right now."

"Is that so…Is he going to be alright?"

"Oh, I wouldn't worry about him. I'm sure he'll be able to take care of the situation by himself. I believe in him and besides, he's our best knightmare pilot after all. As for your case I'm sending you backup right now. They'll be there in forty seconds." Leila responded over the line.

"I see…in that case I just have to hold out here and…ergh…!"

Before Naoto could finish speaking his knightmare was suddenly under attack by enemy Sutherlands on the ground that had their weapons aimed up at him. Naoto had to raise his knightmare's radiation shield just to prevent his frame from taking any further damage. Meanwhile the airborne Sutherland started to close in with their stun tonfas activated.

"Direct combat isn't exactly my specialty but…"

Naoto then made his Guren put the assault rifle in its left hand back on its side and pulled out a fork knife that looked exactly like the kind the Guren Mk-II uses while still holding on to the assault rifle in its right hand.

"Okay, bring it on!"

The Guren then took its fighting stance and was ready to engage its enemies.

Meanwhile, the ground troops continued to attack Naoto's Guren from the earth until a new signal appeared on their IFF signals. An enemy seemed to be approaching from the forest up due north at an incredible pace. Once the signal started to get closer they saw a knightmare approaching that was apparently crawling on the ground with four legs.

"W-What is that?" One Britannian soldier cried out.

"Is that a…bug?" Another questioned.

"Never mind that…Just shoot the damn thing down!" A third soldier said as all the ground forces focused their fire on the new knightmare approaching.

However, the white knightmare had great mobility and was able to dodge all the attacks fired at it by hopping around on the ground as well as jumping on and off the nearby buildings, all the while firing back with its own assault rifles attached to the knightmare's head. As the distance between them closed the bug-like knightmare made one final hop into the air as it changed from its insect like form into the average humanoid knightmare form. By the time it arrived in its humanoid form it has already taken out five Sutherlands while in insect form. It now stood with a tonfa in each hand.

"Commander Malkal, this is Akito Hyuga in the Alexander. I have arrived at the destined location and I'm ready to engage in my mission."

After taking a look at the number of enemy units still remaining in the area a red circle appeared around Akito's eyes and then he made the Alexander to take off in a mad run.

In the meantime, as Akito was mopping up the ground forces Naoto was in a deep struggle with an enemy Sutherland, with the Guren's knife in a deadlock with a Sutherland's stun tonfa. Eventually though Naoto managed to push the Britannian frame back and then proceeded to pelt it down with assault rifle fire.

"Whew…and that was only two…"

Just when he was about to relax for a moment however a Sutherland outfitted with a giant cannon on its arm appeared on his left side, ready to fire at any second. He knew he wasn't going to be able to dodge in time but just when it was ready to shoot its weapon the Sutherland was swiftly shot down and exploded by someone else's attack. Naoto then looked in the direction of where the attack came from and saw the Byakuen flying towards his location.

"This is OZ in Type-01C Byakuen. I'm ready to intercept and destroy the targets."

Naoto then looked down below him to see Akito was here too and was already dwindling down their ground forces.

"Heh, about time you guys showed up! Now I can focus on my shooting again."

As Naoto said that he made his Guren put the fork knife back away and pulled his second assault rifle out again.

Once OZ arrived at the scene he took a moment to look at the enemy forces and noticed something peculiar about them.

"Wait a minute…those Britannian knightmares are painted black and have purple shoulders. Is the Pluton organization involved in this operation too? Well that's just fine with me. This is my chance to avenge her…Euria…"

As OZ silently whispered a person's name the Byakuen started to move on ahead while getting ready to pull a weapon out of its toolbox.

"H-Hey, don't just rush out there and break formation! Ergh…why am I always the one teamed up with the quiet ones? Especially since they are the ones who cause the most ruckus on the battlefield."

As Naoto gave a quick sigh to himself he made the Guren change its assault rifles to sniping mode and gave OZ support from behind.

Meanwhile, the members of saw the Byakuen advancing towards them and immediately recognized who it was.

"Hey, Commander Cerberus, it's the White Fang, the OZ kid! He's one of the two people we have been ordered to kill. Should we begin the operation?" One of Pluton's members asked.

"So, the White Fang is here huh? In that case…it doesn't matter how we do it, just destroy him and that knightmare!" Cerberus shouted in his Vincent Command Model and as he made his knightmare raised out its hand and signaled his forces to attack.

Three of the Sutherlands then charged straight towards the Byakuen with their stun tonfas activated. Before any of them got near him them Orpheus pulled out n electromagnetic accelerated cannon from his knightmare's right arm and fired three rounds which destroyed the three of Pluton's Sutherlands all at once.

A Vincent Ward, which has snuck up from behind while the Sutherlands were just being used as decoys, appeared behind the Byakuen with a dual wielding MVS Lance. It swung its weapon but the Byakuen swiftly moved out of the way. OZ then turned his knightmare around and now had its drill out. He then pierced right into the center of the Ward with his drill, causing it to stop moving. Two more Sutherlands appeared and started firing their assault rifle at him. OZ simply blocked them however by grabbing the now un-operational Vincent Ward and using it as shield by holding it in front of the Byakuen. The two Sutherlands were then shot down by Naoto's sniper-customized assault rifles.

"I got you covered. Go on ahead." Naoto called out.

"Roger that." OZ responded as he moved on to face Pluton's commander Vincent.

"Aha, so there you are White Fang. I see that you're still alive." Cerberus called out.

"Were you one of the five people who attacked the Hungary village that day?" OZ called over the transmission.

"Yeah, I was…and so what? I was just merely 'doing my job' is all. All you two were rats trying to live in the outside world after escaping the Geass Directive." Cerberus admitted in a mocking tone of voice.

"What's the matter...you couldn't get over your now-deceased-girlfriend's death? Here's a thought, why don't I help your miserable life out and send you to the afterlife? Then you'll finally get to be with her again!" The Vincent Commander then held a dual wielding lance in its hands.

Boiling up with rage OZ made the Byakuen immediately move forward to challenge the Vincent Commander's lance with its jagged blade. As the two weapons clashed each other OZ decided to fire his single slash harken to knock the Vincent Commander off balance. He then used this opportunity to move right at his opponent's side.

"Here, eat my fang!" OZ yelled out as he jammed his blade right into the Vincent Commander's cockpit which caused it to explode. Soon afterwards the rest of the frame blew into flames as well.

"Commander Malkal, all enemy air forces has been destroyed. My task here has been completed." OZ, now calmed, said over the communication line.

"Hey, don't you think that was a little extreme there?" Naoto asked as his approached the Byakuen.

"I'm merely following orders. Besides, don't you know who these Pluton members are and how they are like?" OZ calmly answered back.

"Yeah, I know. From what I hear they are pretty much a bunch of bastards who carry out all of Britannia's dirty work such as assassinations and who knows what else. In any case, unlike Rai, telling us to fight without the intention of killing our opponent is about the same as telling us to fight with one of our hands tied behind our back. So, I guess it doesn't matter as long as he isn't here."

Naoto then looked down at the Alexander who was still going on a rampage.

"Hmph…you're getting too worked up Akito." Naoto commented.

Down on land, the Alexander bashed a Sutherland right into a Vincent Ward which caused both Britannian knightmares to explode.

"Hehehehe…Die!" Akito manically chuckled out.

The Alexander then swiftly turned around and faced a Sutherland that tried to approach from behind. Akito dodged the Sutherland's Jousting Lance and reacted by swinging its own tonfa which knocked the Sutherland's head off.

"Die!" Akito yelled as the Alexander kicked the Sutherland and sent it falling into the ruins of a destroyed building.

Akito then spotted a sole Vincent Command Model in the distance with its assault rifle equipped. The Alexander then sprinted over to where the Vincent Commander was standing and after dodging the assault rifle attacks the Alexander tackled the Britannian frame down to the ground. And then, while standing over the Vincent Commander the Alexander revealed an edge knife that was hidden underneath the knightmare's wrist.

"Die!"

The Alexander pressed its knife right into the cockpit, killing the pilot in the process. A few seconds later the Vincent Commander became lifeless and lied flat on the ground.

Once he confirmed that the enemy was down the red circle around Akito's eyes disappeared and his face suddenly became expressionless. He also started to talk calmly with a softer demeanor in his voice.

"Commander, I have finished off the ground forces. My mission here is finished."

"I see…in that case I want all of you to regroup and prepare to evacuate the area. Use escape route three."

"Okay, but what about the Black Knight forces still fighting Britannia, Miss Malkal?" Naoto asked as the Byakuen and Guren landed on the ground.

"We've finished our battle and task here. Let the Black Knights deal with the rest. Besides, I'm getting an ominous feeling about the way Britannia's main ship is positioned right now."

Location: Above the Pacific Ocean outside of Hitachi

(Inside the Laevateinn's main command room)

"Commander Calares, I just received a message from the boss giving us permission to use this ships main weapon!" One of the crew members shouted out.

"I see…in that case, begin strafing!" Calares ordered with a wave of his hand.

"Yes, my lord!"

Underneath the Laevateinn a large cannon about three times as long and three times as wide as the Gawain's hadron cannon slowly came out. It was aimed right at the city of Hitachi. A black light then started to form inside the cannon.

"Hehe…now we'll show these so called 'Japanese' what the little insects they truly are. They are going to wish that they stayed as Elevens." Calares thought to himself.

"Heightened angle confirmed!" One Pluton member shouted out.

"On standby to fire!" Another said.

"Fire the Hadron Cannon!" Calares ordered.

After charging up its energy the cannon fired a large hadron beam. The attack seemed to have gone right through and covered roughly one-fifth of the city, incinerating everything in its path, including both Black Knight and Britannian forces.

Meanwhile, as the Blue Moon knightmares were retreating through a northern forest Naoto looked down from a cliff to see the destruction caused by the Laevateinn's weapon.

"Tch…Those damn bastards! Why don't they just glass the whole town while they're at it!? I hope Ohgi and others are fine…and Kallen too."

Location: Above the city of Hitachi

(Inside Ikaruga's main command room)

"What's the status report?" Zero abruptly spouted out.

"We just lost about thirty percent of our ground forces from Britannia's previous hadron beam." A crew member named Ayame quickly responded.

"_Argh…Britannia was able to create a more powerful hadron cannon before we could. The ones on the Ikaruga is nothing compared to the one just fired."_ Zero quietly contemplated to himself.

"Zero, Britannia's main airship seems to be moving away from the battlefield!" Another crew member named Mutsuki said to bring Zero out of his thoughts.

A visual was then displayed on the monitor showing the Laevateinn turning itself around and leaving the port.

"_What, they're leaving? Could it be that it can only fire the weapon once? I can only assume that it was only a prototype that Britannia wanted to test out. In that case, all I have to deal with now is Cornelia's forces and…"_

"The Knights of the Round have broken through our defense air troops." Ichijiku shouted out as the Lancelot, Tristan, and Mordred continued to advance.

"_The three nuisances that have become thorns in my side."_

"The Mordred has its cannon aimed for the Ikaruga!" Mutsuki shouted out in fear.

"W-What!?" Zero gasped out in surprise.

Outside the Ikaruga the Mordred combined its four separate cannons into one, forming its stark hadron cannon. It then settled its sight right in the center of the Ikaruga.

"Target is Ikaruga…It will be deleted…" Anya emotionless muttered as she pressed a button on the control stick.

A hadron beam about twice the size of a normal hadron cannon fired from the Mordred's weapon. The beam headed straight for Ikaruga. The Black Knights ship raised its radiation shield and tried to evade the cannon's line of fire. However, even with the radiation shield the hadron overpowered the shield and managed to hit the right side of the airship causing smoke to appear.

"What did het Mordred hit?" Zero quickly ordered.

"The stark hadron managed to hit the Ikaruga's right wing. It's severely damaged." Ayame responded.

"I see…Where is Tohdoh's position right now?" Zero quickly demanded.

"Right now he is currently fighting Lord Guilford." Ohgi answered.

"Okay, then where is Kallen?"

"She and the Zero Squadron are fighting Cornelia's royal guards while covering for the remaining ground forces." Minami responded this time.

"Tch…In that case I guess we have no choice but to bring out Orange."

As Zero said that everyone was suddenly silent.

"What, we're going to send that guy out?" Minami questionably asked.

"Oh, and do you have a better idea?" Zero remarked back.

Minami however didn't respond.

"And besides this will give us a chance to test out that rebuilt machine. Ohgi, you and Minami are in charge of the Ikaruga." Zero abruptly said as he turned around and headed for the door.

"W-Wait Zero, where are you going?" Ohgi worryingly asked out.

"I'm going to go take command outside the Ikaruga. The Galatine isn't complete yet so I'll just have to take the Shinkiro instead."

"In that case I'll come with you in an Akatsuki Zikisan." C.C. said as she started to follow Zero.

"Yes, you'll be my escort."

Zero and C.C. then left the command room together and headed for the ship's hanger. When they arrived both of them got in their respective knightmares, with Zero getting in a black knightmare with golden trims and C.C. boarding a pink colored Akatsuki Zikisan. Once Zero was properly seated in his knightmare he immediately got into contact with Jeremiah.

"Jeremiah, you got the green light. You're free to go. Head straight for the Ikaruga!" Zero ordered through the communication line.

At that time, deep inside one the warehouses situated outside of the city Hitachi, lights started to light up on a giant orange machine. Inside the cockpit of the machine a man with turquoise hair opened his eyes as the machine slowly came to life.

"Yes, your majesty…"

The orange knight giga fortress then busted straight out of the warehouse and headed for the skies over Hitachi. Once he saw the smoke piping out of the Ikaruga Jeremiah headed over there and joined up with C.C. and Zero.

"What do you ask of me?" Jeremiah asked.

"Those three units over there. Wipe them all out!" Zero commanded.

"Ah, three Knights of the Round huh? Now those are some worthy adversaries to prove myself to my young lord. Here, taste the storm of my loyalty!"

As Jeremiah shouted out his devotion several tube shaped missiles shot out of the several hatchets of the Sutherland Sieg. When the three round members saw the missiles heading in their direction the they all dispersed in order to avoid the attacks. While Gino focused his attention on Jeremiah, Suzaku and Anya set their sights on C.C. and Zero.

"So, I guess what they said about Orange was true. You've really have defected from Britannia."

As Gino flew around the Sutherland Sieg's missile tubes in his knightmare's jet mode he eventually flipped his frame upward and came back down firing a white beam of light from his knightmare's two oversized harkens.

"Heh, that won't work!" Jeremiah shouted as he made the Sutherland Sieg fire a similar hyper velocity beam from the center of his frame.

The two beam then collided into each other, with neither side moving an inch.

Meanwhile, Suzaku kept trying to approach the Shinkiro but kept getting distracted by C.C. who was firing a handgun from her Zikisan. Suzaku blocked all of her attacks by forming a cone shaped blaze luminous shield around the Lancelot. C.C. then tried to attack head on with the revolving blade sword but Suzaku easily blocked her with his MVS Sword. While the two of them had their swords crossed Zero used this opportunity to attack the Lancelot. He raised the Shinkiro's right arm and fired a ball shaped hadron blast from the knightmare's wrist. Suzaku saw the attack coming however and managed to move out of the way in time. The hadron continued to move forward but almost hit C.C.'s Zikisan in the process.

"There you go again Zero! Using your allies as pawns just to defeat your enemy! That's just dishonorable!" Suzaku lashed out.

"Like I need to hear anything about honor from you! You ran away from your country for the second time now and became a Knight of the Round? Hah, having that title merely means you're only a personal apparatus for the Emperor!"

"Well, it's not like Zero can really kill me with just his knightmare." C.C. added in.

"Zero!"

"Yeah, that's right. Come get me Suzaku!"

Suzaku then started to head for the Shinkiro in a roar of rampage but before he got anywhere the Mordred appeared above the Lancelot and several laser shaped missiles were fired from all over the knightmare's body, all headed for the Shinkiro. Zero, however, began typing into the druid system at an astonishing speed and several shields started generating themselves around the Shinkiro. When the laser missiles hit the shield they were immediately bounced off.

"It…was blocked…?" Anya said in a confused tone.

Suzaku then unfolded the expansion pack being carried on his float system, loaded it on the Varis rifle, and fired his own hadron cannon at the Shinkiro. Although, it too was warded off by the shield system.

"Hmph…I have calibrated an absolute defense field. All attacks, including hadron and blaze luminous systems are ineffective." Zero proudly gloated out.

However, Anya didn't seem ready to quit and aimed her stark hadron cannon at the Shinkiro, charging it up and getting ready to fire it. Zero took noticed of this and contacted the Sutherland Sieg.

"Jeremiah, fire a slash harken at nine o' clock. Your target is the Mordred."

"Of course!" Jeremiah saluted as the Sutherland Sieg fired a normal slash harken and connected the Mordred with the knight giga fortress.

An electric circuit then ran through the slash harken shocking both the knightmare and cockpit, paralyzing Anya in the process. The stark hadron then stopped charging and the weapon was lowered.

"Oh no, Anya!" Suzaku yelled as he turned around to help Anya but C.C. came flying in again and fired her handgun at the Lancelot.

"Anya!" Gino shouted as he steered in the Tristan in her direction.

"Hah, I saw that!" Jeremiah said as he fired another slash harken that attached itself to the jet-bounded Tristan.

Another wave of electricity went through the harken shocking both Gino and Anya now.

At that time, Suzaku, who was busy trying to deal with C.C., suddenly had his core luminous shield shot down by the Shinkiro's hadron blaster after getting shot in the back.

"Argh…damn it…" Suzaku sweared.

Zero then fired a few more hadron blast from his knightmare's wrist but Suzaku managed to make the Lancelot dodge them.

"He avoided them…however…he wasn't my target…" Zero thought to himself.

The shots fired passed the Lancelot and went after the Mordred instead. After seeing who the intended target was Gino quickly managed to break free from the paralysis and transformed his knightmare into humanoid form, snapping off the harken in the process. He then quickly made a double edged deathscythe from his pickaxes and slashed the harken connected to the Mordred off. Having recovered, Anya then tried to form a blaze luminous shield for the Mordred. However, by the time the shield tried to form one of the hadron blast smacked right into it, causing it to dissolve. The two other shot then rammed right into the Mordred, destroying the stark hadron cannon and causing a huge tear on the knightmare's main body.

"Ugh…We're retreating." Suzaku ordered after seeing the state of the Mordred.

"What, we're retreating again? You know, for the Knights of the Round we have been doing that a lot recently." Gino brashed out.

"It can't be helped."

Suzaku then started to give cover fire with his varis rifle as the Tristan, Mordred, and other Britannian knightmares started to leave the skies. Suzaku was then forced to flee himself when C.C. fired three radiation powered missiles from the Zikisan's left wrist. The Lancelot managed to shoot two of them down with the varis but was forced to discard the rifle when the third missile attached itself to it and caused the varis to explode.

"Well, they're gone…I guess you won this battle." C.C. commented.

"No, this was a battle that not any side can say was their victory." Zero sorrowfully said as he looked down at the now devastated city of Hitachi.

"All forces, secure the ground and air space!" Zero's order resounded.

Meanwhile down on the ground several Guren Mk-I units from the Zero Squadron continued to fight the remaining Britannian forces. Using customized assault rifles, jagged blades attached to their wrists, or even using a drill that can penetrate through the Gloucester's jousting lance, the Zero Squadron gradually dwindled down the number of Britannian forces. Even Haruna Ikutsuki, one of the Zero Squadron members, managed to take down a Gloucester after shooting its head off with the assault rifle.

"Alright, I took another one down!" She proudfully congratulated herself.

Her victory was very short-lived however when a member of the Glaston Knights came up to her in his Gloucester. Haruna immediately tried to use the assault rifle again but this Gloucester was able to avoid the attacks as it closed in on her.

"Take this!" Glaston Knight Member Edgar yelled as his charged forward with his jousting lance pointed right at the Guren Mk-I.

Haruna tried to counterattack with her Guren's jagged blade but Edgar pierced right through her knightmare's left arm, including breaking the blade apart. She then felt defenseless as the Gloucester prepared to attack again with the jousting lance. Just when it begun its attack Kallen came in the Guren Mk-II and swatted the lance away with her knightmare's right hand.

"Captain Kozuki!" Haruna happily called out.

"Don't worry; I got this one!" Kallen calmly responded.

"Tch, take this Red Knight of Zero!" Edgar angrily shouted as he attacked with his lance once again.

The Guren Mk-II easily grabbed it though with its right hand.

"Hey, I think you're forgetting something here. When it comes to close quarter combat…I'm the best!" Kallen shouted as she pressed a button on her control stick and started to roast the lance away with the radiation surger.

Edgar then made his Gloucester jump back and started to prep up the sattle waffen styled missile launchers mounted on his knightmare's shoulders.

"Heh, at this distance I'll be able to blow both of you away. Goodbye, Eleven Ace!"

Edgar was then just about to press the switch when a small particle blast shot right through his Gloucester from above, causing the whole frame to explode seconds afterward.

"No, Edgar!" One of the other Glaston Knights shouted out.

"That's enough; we're all retreating at once!" Guildford demanded.

"Y-Yes, sir!"

As Guildford's Vincent Commander appeared and order all Britannian ground forces to leave the area Kallen looked up to see a red Guren just like the Guren Mk-I with a sniper rifle in its hands.

"N-Naoto?" Kallen questioned.

"Hey, you guys don't mind if I tag along with the Black Knights for a while, do you?" Naoto casually asked.

Location: An unknown island (1st Person View: Rai)

When I finally regained my self-awareness I found myself standing in the middle of a sandy beach. I took a moment to look around my surroundings to notice that I seem to be on an island. From the looks it seems to be one of the Okinawa Islands. I then turn around to see my knightmare standing behind me. It was still in its heavily damaged state from the last battle. But, even so, how did I get pulled out of my knightmare and how did I end up here?

I then looked forward to see a black knightmare also standing on the beach about a fair distance away from my position. That was the one I was fighting just a few moments ago!

I immediately took a defensive position and hid myself behind the legs of the Susano'o. While I had two swords tucked away on both sides of my waist I instinctively reached for the sword I was carrying behind my back. I kept my hand on the hilt and could pull it out at any moment. I stood behind the Susano'o and waited for the black knightmare to do something when I saw the cockpit open up. That was when I saw a living nightmare from my past get out of the cockpit and landed on the beach. It was that one person from two years ago…the one in the black outfit and leather mask from the ghettos. He was the one who separated me from E.E. and almost sent me to my grave. But, what is he doing here now and how is he still alive? So many questions started to well up into my mind. It was then that I heard him speak out in that all too familiar deep voice of his.

"Come out, it's no use skulking around in the shadows."

I slowly peeped my head out from behind one of my knightmare's legs and then cautiously started to step forward, all the while keeping my right hand on the sword behind my back. I guess the only way to get answers is to ask the person himself.

"Why…why are still alive?"

"A foolish question. It's going to take more than simply blowing me up to get rid of me."

The masked man then pulled out that familiar sticky sakuradite bomb from before.

"Speaking of which, I made this specifically for you. Let's see if you can dodge this time."

He then threw it right in my direction. I looked at the bomb and saw it was flying across the air and aimed directly at me. However, I didn't try to dodge it. Instead, I ran right towards the flying weapon. Once I was in range I swiftly pulled my sword out and swung. My sword easily sliced through the sticky surface as if it was butter and the bomb was cut in half. I then continued running forward without stopping.

"He cut right through it, and what's more without setting it off…?"

The masked man seemed a little surprised when I slashed right through his prized weapon and pulled out a rapier, ready to intercept me. Once I arrived to where he was standing the masked man started to thrust his rapier forward repeatedly. I quickly twisted my body to the right to dodge his attack. I then pulled myself back into a fighting position and swung my own sword right into the upper portion of his rapier. However, when I did my sword cut right into the rapier and then eventually the upper portion was completely carved off. I then swung my sword once more. This time I aimed for his face but he was barely able to dodge it at the last second and then stepped back to retreat.

"To think that I would be forced to take the defensive…I didn't expect him to bring that thing with him…Kusanagi…"

The masked man then looked at his rapier and saw how useless the weapon was to him. Its main purpose for thrusting and stabbing were removed and broken beyond fixing.

"In that case I'll just have to use something that has close to the same power as it…A weapon from the Eight Holy Saints…the Gram…"

"Gram…?"

He then tossed his broken rapier aside and pulled out what looked like a two-handed broadsword, but resembled more to a claymore. He then headed straight for me. I decided to follow suit and leaped for him as well. We both swung our respective weapon at each other and once our swords connected sparks started to scatter off the blades. Both of us then pressed forward while struggling with our blades but when it looked like neither of us was getting anywhere we both moved back. I then took a few steps back and prepared to use my sword again. We both ran right towards each other and passed by; as we did we both swung our respective weapon at each other. When we crossed with each other there was a scratchy, eerie noise, almost as if someone was running their nails down a chalkboard. I then made myself come to a stop and we both stood in the opposite direction, facing away from each other. A few seconds later I slowly started to grovel on the ground but stabbed my sword into the sand so I was still on one leg. Meanwhile the masked man looked down at the Gram to see that it now had a deep scratch running down the metal part of the blade.

"To be able to damage a weapon from ancient times like this…"

After muttering to himself the masked man swiftly turned around and threw the Gram at me. I quickly got up and dodged the weapon with ease but it was really just a distraction as he came right up to me now dual wielding two Britannian styled swords. He swung both swords parallel to each other and managed to knock the Kusanagi out of my hands. My sword went flying through the air and later landed on the beach between me and the ocean. But now wasn't the time to go and pick it up. Instead, I drew out two sword shaped lances and stopped his advancement by clashing all four of our swords. We both then broke off and retreated at the same time.

"And just where did you get those?" The masked man curiously asked.

"Hmph…you would be surprised at how much stuff Britannia left behind after the Black Rebellion."

We then went at it once more except when the masked man swung the sword in his right hand I tilted my body to the left to dodge, blocked his left strike with the sword lance in my left hand, and finally put my left foot up and kicked him back. And then, as he tried to regain his footing I threw the sword shaped lance in my right hand directly at him and hit him right in the center of his body. After being struck he quickly fell over and landed in the sand. I then carefully walked over to him and held my other lance right at him.

"Talk, who exactly are you? What are you hiding behind that mask of yours?"

"Heh, you hesitate to strike just to ask a question like that? Sorry boy, but I have no desire to be labeled with something like a name. But, if you really must have a placeholder name for me, the name I go by now is Surt Zilch, though the Geass Immortals nicknamed me the Black Star of Thanatos."

"Surt…Zilch…"

"But that's enough about me; it's time to silence you!"

The masked man then stood back up and raised his right hand forward in my direction. I thought I saw something red over the palm of his glove but before I could get a good look my head suddenly starting to feel light-weighted. The lance then dropped out of my hand and I collapsed onto the beach.

(3rd Person View)

Once the black masked man saw the silver haired boy fall unconscious in the sand he turned his attention to a certain sword stuck in the sand by the shoreline.

"Now, about that sword."

The masked man walked over to where the Kusanagi was, picked it up, and started to examine it very thoroughly.

"Ah yes, so this is the Kusanagi Blade…one of the three treasures of Sumeragi's Legacy. It's been a long time since I last saw this sword. I believe the last time I saw it was during the First Pacific War. At that time it was being used by…Argh…!"

As the masked man continued to inspect the Kusanagi he suddenly yelled out in pain as if his hands were on fire and dropped the sword. He then looked down at his hands and saw steam run through his gloves.

"I see…so that's how it is. No wonder it's a weapon that not even the gods are allowed to touch."

After glaring at the Kusanagi the masked man walked over to where Rai was; who was still unconscious and pointed one of his longswords at the boy's back.

"I suppose I should do what Emperor Charles ordered me and the Pluton organization to do and kill you…"

The masked man then raised his weapon in the air preparing to bring it down but just when he was about to he stopped and lowered his weapon.

"However, after seeing what he displayed to me today I'm having second thoughts now. I see now that this one just might be useful to me after all. But I'm not keeping him alive just to interfere with V.V.'s plan or for the sake of E.E.'s plan but rather, I'm going to use him to further my plan. I'll let you live a little bit longer…Rai Sumeragi…"

After gathering his things together the masked man headed for the Agravain and left the island.

(1st Person View: Rai)

When I finally awakened I found myself lying flat on the beach. After wiping some of the sand off my uniform I got up and went over to where the Susano'o was. I pressed my back up against one of the knightmare's legs and put my left hand over my still groggy face. What just happened? I remembered that I was fighting that guy and then…I blacked out. That happened twice now…on the same day even. Surt Zilch…he is no ordinary person. I then turned my head towards the ocean.

"Whatever the case, next time I see E.E. I definitely need to talk to her about this."

As I spent some time to rest and regain my strength I walked over the beach to pick up my lances and sword. After putting them away I headed back to the Susano'o, started it up, and decided to head back to base.

Location: Black Knights Hanger (3rd Person View)

As Kallen got out of her knightmare she looked across the walkway to see Naoto standing by his Guren and staring at her. He seemed to be in deep thought about something. She decided to go over there and talk to him.

"Hey, is something the matter?" Kallen asked as she approached her older sibling.

"Hmm…Oh, I was just thinking about the old times. I still remember the time you first got into a knightmare. You snuck into my Glasgow and almost scared the hell out of everyone. It was a good thing there was no explosives or anything like that around or things could have gotten very dangerous in our hideout that day. But now, your piloting one of Japan's first and greatest knightmares."

"Oh wow, I never that I hear such a thing from you. Anyways, what's up with the cockpit of your knightmare?

As Kallen asked her question she pointed up at the cockpit of Naoto's Guren. Unlike the other cockpit of the Guren Mk-I units, his had the standard knightmare seat.

"Oh, well that's because I wouldn't be able to target and fire if I sat in that uncomfortable sitting position. So I had to get my cockpit modified for my own convenience."

Naoto then looked over the handlebars and saw Zero walking down towards the exit. Behind him was C.C. and Jeremiah.

"H-Hey, is that Jeremiah Gottwald?" Naoto asked out in confusement.

"Oh, you mean Orange?"

"Orange, what does that suppose to mean?"

"Umm…I guess you had to be there to understand it."

Kallen then tried to explain everything to Naoto about Jeremiah to the best of her knowledge.

"Oh, I guess I kind of understand now. Even so, I would still like to give Jeremiah a piece of my mind when I confront him next time."

Naoto then rested his arms on the handlebars and seemed to be trying to work up the courage to ask something.

"H-Hey, Kallen, there is something I've been wanting to ask you for a while now but I decided to wait until the last battle ended."

"Yes, what is it?"

"…Our mother, how is she? And by the way, I'm talking about our real mother."

When she heard Naoto mention their mother Kallen suddenly became downhearted and looked toward the ground.

"She's…She's not doing well. Ever since she was released from prison after taking refrain she's been frequently taken to the hospital on multiple occasions. Her condition isn't getting any better…"

"What, she got hooked on that stuff again!?" Naoto suddenly blurted out.

"Again, what do you mean again?" Kallen asked in a confused tone of voice.

The way Kallen was looking at him it caused Naoto to look away from her face. He couldn't look her in the eye.

"Well, anyways let's go visit her…right now." Naoto suggested.

"Y-Yeah, okay…"

Location: Kamine Island

(The Blue Moon Hanger: 1st Person View: Rai)

Once I arrived back in the hanger I saw several other knightmares piled in. It seems that the previous mission is already over. As I stored my knightmare away I noticed someone else was in the hanger waiting for me…Leila Malkal. She was standing on the walkway. After I got out of my cockpit I took off my helmet and went over to speak with her.

"I received your message. It seems you were able to come back safely." Leila calmly said.

"Yeah, but I can't say the same about my knightmare."

As I pointed to my knightmare behind me Leila looked over my shoulder to see how badly damaged the Susano'o was. It was missing half of its left arm and the Totsuka Blade was still attached to the right arm.

"I see…so you had to use it…" Leila quietly murmured.

"Anyways, where is Naoto's Guren?"

As I asked the question I looked around the hanger and I couldn't see the red knightmare anywhere.

"Naoto took his knightmare with him and went back with the Black Knights. I have decided that he will be our link between the Blue Moon Order and the Black Knights."

"Well, if you say so. Where is everyone else?"

"They are all off doing their own thing."

"And what about E.E., is she around here right now?"

"The last time I saw her was down in the ruins. She went inside that door and never came out since then."

"Oh, then I guess I shouldn't bother her right now. Then we'll take this conversation to the briefing room. You and I have plenty to talk about."

"Sure, but you should get changed out of those rugged clothes first."

"Yeah, I'll do that. I'll see you in the briefing room then."

I then went into a separate room and got out of my pilot uniform. I then put on more casual clothing; a pair of jeans, a dark gray t-shirt, and carried a blue light-weighted jacket around my arms.

Once I arrived in the briefing room I found Leila was already in there. There was also a bottle of water sitting on the table.

"Here, you should have something to drink. You must be exhausted."

"It…has been a long day."

After accepting her offer I placed my jacket around my chair and took the water bottle. We both took a seat on the opposite side of the table. We then began talking about our previous activities.

"We've conducted four operations in the United States of Japan. If we go by what the plan dictated, then everything is running smoothly so far." Leila started to say.

"Yeah, but that's just go by research, calculations, and stratagems. We made plenty of mistakes along the way as well."

"I'm well aware of that. But you can't expect everything to go the way you want it to."

"I know. It wouldn't bother me to expect a few minor errors along the way but I believe some major problems have arisen in our previous missions. First of all, I believe everything is just moving too fast."

"Too fast…?"

"Personally, I would have liked to have waited a few more weeks before getting involved in the war between the United States of Japan and Britannia. The Black Knights were doing just fine before we came in. It was only after Britannia brought more forces and commanders with them that 'big bro' Naoto felt like we had to intervene. And after he practically begged us we decided on a mission revolving around destroying their latest prototype, Vincent."

"That was mostly because he wanted to protect his country above all else."

"From there we went on a series of other assignments. Although, the biggest problem here is that we have now revealed four of our knightmare frames to the world."

"Make that five. I had to send out the Alexander in our last mission since you disappeared halfway through it. That means it is now known that people from the E.U. military is involved in the Blue Moon Order."

"And to further complicate things I had to reveal the Totsuka Blade from the Susano'o to an unknown enemy."

"Was the opponent really that strong?"

"Yes, he was. If we were to rate him and his knightmare they would be a SSS rank."

"SSS…Are you absolutely sure? There are very few people we have given that rank to. Most of the Knights of the Round are not even on that list."

"There's no doubt about it. I know what I was fighting. If you had faced him you would have thought the same thing too. I fought him inside and outside my knightmare. All the information you'll need on the black frame is still stored in my knightmare's databank. You should take a look at it when you have the time."

"If this person even gave you a hard time then…is there any other viable information that you can give me."

"Well, let's see here…the frame was black with golden trims. It was most likely based on the Gawain and like the Gawain it was made in total privacy. We probably won't find any data on it by just searching through normal computers."

"If it's built from Gawain's data then it is probably meant to be a heavy artillery type of knightmare."

"And if we assume that this knightmare is being used for Britannia's purpose and it's just a prototype instead of a custom model then Britannia will most likely mass produce it in the near future."

"But trying to mass produce such a knightmare will still take time and plenty of resources. It's not like Britannia has a large supply of Sakuradite like they used to. In any case, I do believe there will be quite some time before we engage in such knightmare models on the battlefield."

"Yeah, dealing with the Vincent models is difficult enough as it is. But what I find even more annoying is the pilot of the knightmare I fought."

"And what was he like?"

"I couldn't see his face because of his mask but he wore a black outfit that covered his entire body. He is also very dangerous. After our knightmare battle he challenged me to a swordfight."

"A battle with swords…that's certainly outside today's more modern warfare."

"Hmph…I was starting to think it was going to go far enough to turn into a fist fight. Anyways, the guy I fought called himself Surt Zilch."

"Surt…Zilch…"

"Yeah, but even though 'Surt Zilch' is nothing more than an absurd alias it still complicate things. What bothers me the most is that he mentioned Sumeragi's Legacy."

"He did?"

"Yeah, the fact that he knows the name means he is from the Geass Directive, or at the very least, has connections to that place. Besides, the only ones who really know what Sumeragi's Legacy are E.E., you, and myself. Well, you and I only know bits and pieces. The only one who knows Sumeragi's Legacy in its entirety is E.E. herself."

"Whatever the case, this black knightmare and this man name 'Surt' is definitely someone we'll have to take into consideration in future operations."

"Anyways, if you have the time, try to look into this person and if you run into E.E. ask her about it."

"I'll see what I can find out. Now, there is something I should let you know."

"Yeah, what is it?"

"Xingke and his men came to Kamine Island while you and the others were out on an operation. I spoke with him for a while and gave his group a knightmare…Two of them actually…XT-409 Shen Hu and XT-418 Chen Long."

"The XT models huh?"

"Now that Britannia is using seventh generation knightmare frames in the form of the Vincent it will push other countries behind in the technology race…More so than they already are. After all, the E.U. is still using the Panzer Hummel since the Alexander ended up not being very suitable for mass production. As for the Chinese Federation…well, they have been using the Gun-Rus for quite some time now and it doesn't seem like they're going to change anytime soon."

"That's because for the High Eunuchs it's 'build the strongest military weapons we can at the least amount of cost and resources'. And the Gun-Ru is the cheapest knightmare there is to build. Especially since their strategy is to outnumber the enemy with swarms full of Gun-Ru."

"They prefer quantity over quality."

"But in the end, the High Eunuchs don't really care about furthering their technology since they plan to sell themselves and the country to Britannia because apparently; there is more value in having Britannian nobility than being a eunuch of your own country." I sarcastically said.

"They are letting their own greed consume their line of sight. It's actually quite sickening to think about." I continued on.

"But we won't let that happen. We'll bring about the reformation to the Chinese Federation just like the plan calls for. Sure, we'll need to make a few slight readjustments but everything should work out."

"Anyways, speaking of the Chinese is Xingke planning on doing anything soon? Like, calling for a meeting to discuss how to go about everything?"

"He said that he is going to the United States of Japan to speak with Zero and the Black Knights to form an exact plan. He also wants some members of the Blue Moon Order to attend the meeting as well."

"So, the Black Knights really are going to get involved in China's affairs."

"Well, I suppose even they can be helpful in their own way."

"Personally, I believe it is quite possible to do it with just Xingke's group and the Blue Moon Order. After all, one of the main reasons the Black Knights are joining in on this is because Zero wants the Chinese Federation's help in fighting Britannia."

"You really think so?"

"I know Zero well enough to figure out how he thinks. But, China and Japan's future cooperation is also part of the plan so…it's fine. No matter what happens though, it has to be Xingke's group that liberates China, not Zero and not the Blue Moon Order either."

"Xingke is a talented man in his own right. He's like us after all. Not only is he an outstanding general but he also knows a thing or two about politics as well."

After Leila finished speaking I stood up and started to put my jacket on.

"In any case, I think I'll go join Naoto's investigation of the United States of Japan and the Black Knights. I will personally speak with Zero about plans for the Chinese Federation and what we plan to do from there. I have already sent him a message saying that I'll meet him at Tokyo Port. I'll leave Kamine Island in your care."

"Okay, I'll leave Zero to you. But you can't go to Japan with the Susano'o, especially in the condition it's in. I'll need to get Anna's or Ganabati's crew to get working on repairs as soon as possible."

"I'll take a speedboat. Is that alright?"

"That will work. Good luck."

"Yeah, good luck to you too."

Moving on to the next stage…


End file.
